Hi guys,
I've had this philodendron verrucosum for almost a year now. This will probably be wordy, but I want to include all relevant information. I got it as a very small starter plant and it has grown quite a bit. About 6 weeks ago I chopped it in order to add a 4" moss pole, since the 1.6" one was impossible to keep evenly moist (you can see it wedged into the new one). I believed the issue I'm about to get into was due to the old moss pole being dry too often, but I'm not so sure that is the case anymore.
I've attached photos of the whole plant (photo 1), the problem leaf (photo 2), and the newest leaf that is hardening off (photo 3). The issue that I've been having since I got it, is that the moment a leaf begins hardening off, the one before it begins to get a yellow mottled pattern to it. This never happens rapidly, or even continues mottling more than what it looks like in the photo. Any ideas what could be causing this or how to fix it? It's been a bummer only having one nice leaf to show off since all the ones before it get a yellow mottled look to it.
I have it in a greenhouse, in which ~85%-90% humidity is maintained. ~74° highs inside during the day and ~69° at night roughly. I have an oscillating fan for airflow. It's been positioned 12" at the closest to the light source aimed at the plant, but is currently about 2 feet away because I wasn't sure if it was too close to the light with all the overflow lighting from other lights in the greenhouse. It's in a chunky mix I made with roughly equal parts Happy Frog soil, pumise, and orchid bark chips. I water when the pot feels lighter and keep the moss moist without flooding it. I feed with GT Foliage Focus at 3/4 strength every watering now that the cutting has rerooted and pushed a new leaf. There was a lapse in feeding when it was growing roots, so that MAY contribute to the continuation of this problem, but I'm not sure. I use insecticidal soap preventatively for pests about once a month, or when I discover pests on nearby plants. Based on all this, the most likely issue seems to be related to magnesium presence or uptake.
Any advice would be much appreciated! Bonus points if you've dealt with this issue with verrucosum firsthand. Thanks in advance!
by Fluffy_Jackfruit_210
3 Comments
Can’t really tell zooming in from my phone but I spot some white dots that could be thrip larvae? These fuckers love velvet philos
1) any ppfd value between 250-300 at the leaf face should be fine. if you have a smartphone, get the ‘photone’ app. good stuff : )
2) be careful about assuming you don’t have mites-spraying once a month is NOT insurance/a wipeout of any possibles. more like at least once a week-you *could* spray daily (every 3 should be as frequent as you get) without any risk to the verru though. and then there are flat mites….
3) i’m currently changing my fertilizer regimen. no longer will i be fertilizing w/ every watering, at least not w/out major proper flushing. because nutrient lockout. (foliage pro).
4) i keep my verru in no special cabinet-regular ambient plant room air, 60-65%RH on avg., currently around 280-300 ppfd, small fan circulating the room. plant seems quite happy, the minor issues aside. puts out a new leaf about every 2 weeks. not that delicate a plant, ime-just a mite magnet.
this plant nearly died from a mite breakout last yr, around oct./nov., iirc. had mebbe 2 small deformed leaves on it, long gone:
https://preview.redd.it/2nhdhjb7c1yg1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8664617ce1f251e16b38cb1584aea254d5273d2f
the yellowing margins are likely nutrient lockout or related (note the epipremnum on right). the whitish areas are old sulfur dust application, and possibly mild mite damage. everything’s getting addressed : ) note the temp/RH on the wall’s hygrometer ; )
fwiw.
These have fuzzy petiiles and velvet leaves so I’d definitely look for thrips and or spider mites.
Also, the foliage pro needs to be flushed so fertlize, flushed well, fertilize.
I got a kids bug microscope from Amazon for $30 that has helped me with thrips and spider mites.
I changed to Purvied fertilizer and dilute heavily but fertlize every feeding. My plants love it!