This plant looked fine when I got it from PLNTD about 1.5 years ago. They sell with a guarantee (that they don't seem to honor in any way..) that you don't need to re-pot for a year. After 3-4 months it started to look weepy and lame. I played with the watering schedule, fertilizer, lighting over 3-6 week iterations – no difference. Just a continuous decline.
I repotted it. I was root bound as hell. I put it in a looser soil in a bigger pot and even punched extra drainage into it. That will do it!
No. That will not do it. Continued to get worse. Tried different water sources and fertilizer. Nope. Different light. Nope. All the things. Treated with Neem for invisible pests. Nothing. My other plants, including orchids continue to thrive and this thing is a zombie.
What gives?!?!
by FFF_in_WY
19 Comments
That looks like a crap ton of spider mites on the back of the leaf
Can’t edit yet, but more info.
Large amount of indirect light. No direct sun. Soil pH is around 6, amending marginally downward. Water is currently tap that stands for a week before use. Distilled seemed to make it worse.
Current fert is indoor 2-2-2 organic, every 4 weeks. Soil is equal parts bark, coconut coir + sphagnum, potting mix with some clay balls for extra breathability.
The black edges are flexible, not crunchy. I printed back all the shitty mature leaves 6 months ago. It immediately pushed a bunch of new growth, then 3-4 weeks later all the new growth started turning black.
I am not happy.
Pests for daysssss
Thrips infestation. Throw the whole plant out.
Thats a really bad trips infectio
Toss the plant and inspect any others. That is a terrible thrips infestation
The pole isn’t really salvageable but you could wash that plant really well and repot it with some captain jacks. However every other plant you own also needs treated, adult thrips fly.
I suggest you throw it right now to the TRASH BIN. That would save you from lots of unnecessary headaches and stress.
My monstera and 5 meter long pothos were infected (not as severe as yours though). I tried everything to save them, wasted lots of money, time, and energy. After a few months, I was just so done, and they went directly to trash bin. 🗑️
It’s so relieving now.
I found a post that says they fixed a thrip outbreak
By Wrapping the plant and pot in plastic and spraying insecticide in and then closing it up making sure it doesn’t escape and for humidity to reach 100% but make sure soil hadn’t just been watered to prevent rotting roots
They did it for 10 days
Throw it out! Sadly theres no saving her!
Oh buddy. You’ve got thrips BAD
I’ll play opposite, this is fixable. Remove the pole, throw it out.
Buy safer 3 concentrate and make a heavy dose batch. Dunk paper towels in the mix and wipe the leaves. Do this every two days (their hatch cycle) for a week and they will all be dead.
Call me crazy but I had a severe thrips infestation (not as bad as this) on my majestic and I soaked in pyrethrum spray (literally soaked it). I did that every few days for a couple weeks and I haven’t had it come back since
This is not the fault of PLNTD. You missed a pretty severe thrips infection. Maybe you can propagate a few stem cuttings. Also definitely check other plants you may have for thrips so they don’t have the same fate as this one.
The cost of buying the insecticide, the energy, and time trying to treat the infestation is way more than the $25 for a new plant
Top left leaf where the leaf extends from the petiole
I agree just toss the whole plant. You can find really cheap ones on Facebook marketplace
Cut off anything salvageable stick it in a glass of water and root it on the kitchen windowsill. And throw the rest of that crap away
Invisible bugs? There are thrips all over it. ☹️