Question
Hi Darlene!
I bought a beautiful variegated schefflera tree (about eight feet tall) a couple
of months ago.  It is constantly losing leaves ever since, and getting thinner
and thinner.  It gets lots of indirect light from two sides, and I'm keeping the
soil moist and well drained.  What could I be doing wrong? (the nursery told
me to keep the soil moist all the time.)
Thanks for your time!
Stan

Answer
Stan,

The nursery gave you incorrect instructions. This tree loves the sun. It needs to be moved to the sunniest location possible. It needs to be next to those windows and the drapes or blinds need to be open from dawn to dusk.

It also does not like to be constantly wet. It is not a swamp plant. An hour after you water it you should empty any excess water out of the drain tray. If it is too large to dump it out use a turkey baster to suction it out. Then insert an 8-10 inch bamboo skewer into the soil and do not water it again until you can pull that skewer out and it is dry. Then water it thoroughly. If you follow these instructions it should stop loosing leaves immediately and start growing new ones soon. Good luck.

Darlene