(Last photo is when I had just bought them) Both of these plants I bought from a nursery and was a very vibrant and bushy pot but over the last few months it’s declined significantly with at minimum 1-2 leaves pulled off a day with a few lines pulled off every month or so.
I had a spider mite, fungus gnat, and wooly aphid infestation happen in the same week because I brought home a majesty palm from Costco that was basically just the devils pubes of STIs for plants but within a month I tamed it with the fungus gnats popping back up every other week until they fuck off again for a week. So I’m assuming it has something to do with that but I don’t want to repot if it’s going to be upset or not the problem.
Just want to get feelers out for wether or not this is a typical problem for these guys or if I need to fix something about it and how to go about it/what steps to take
(I was doing a lot of top watering until the infestations and have since learned to bottom water my plants but this is my most miserable plant)
by IcyCommunication1029
3 Comments
Sounds like pests stressed it a lot and keep treating and careful watering, repot only if roots look bad.
Glad to hear you are bottom watering — how deep though/how long do you let it sit? If the outer container doesn’t hold enough water, it could still be ending up thirsty. I keep refilling my trays until the top of the soil starts to look a bit darker/feel ever so slightly damp, then pour out the excess.
My best bet as to your issue, though, is light: get your eyes level with where the top of the pot normally hangs, and look out the window. Can you see the sky? If not, try adding a loop of sturdy cord to your setup so it hangs lower, or adding a grow light directly above it. Plants need light on their crowns — even if they’re getting a ton on the lower vines, if the leaves near the roots aren’t getting enough, they’ll start dropping.
Once it starts to recover a bit, you may want to take some end cuttings, pinch off the bottom couple pairs of leaves, and poke them gently into the soil in the middle. This will help it fill out faster and keep the pot from sitting wet for too long so that it won’t get root rot.
If all else fails, a root check and repot into something smaller with better-draining soil is in order.
Good luck! I’m sure with a little adjustment you can restore this beauty to its former glory 🩵
Chop and prop in water with Prop Drops and you’ll have more than you will know what to do with. This also solves the issue of wet feet and pests in the soil.