Question
I just adopted an over-watered umbrella tree I am going to transplant.  It is showing brand-new growth, however, the tiny frond is already turning brown!  I noticed some web-like material between leaves; is this an indication of a mite/aphid problem and how do I treat?  Also, would pruning so soon after tranplanting be okay?

Thank you,

Mimi

Answer
Hi Mimi,
 You have Spider Mites.
Spider Mites are tiny, spider like mites that can barely been seen with the naked eye. The most common Spider Mite is the Two-spotted Spider Mite, they have soft pear shaped bodies with 2 dark spots on their backs. The most visible sign of a Spider Mite presence is webbing on the undersides of leaves and between stems, however, webbing indicates a high population of Spider Mites. Although Spider Mites are very hard to see with the naked eye, their eggs can usually been seen easily, grouped together on the undersides of leaves. Spider Mites are very difficult to get rid of or control. Often they are resistant to chemical pesticides and many insecticides do not work for Spider Mites. If you are going to use a commercial pesticide be sure that it is listed on the label that the product is effective for Spider Mites.
The first step in getting rid of spider mites (and most crawling insects) is to spray the leaves, especially the undersides, with a strong spray of water. This will wash off as many of the insects as possible. Since Spider Mites are often resistant to most chemical pesticides it is best to use an insecticidal soap spray. Another good thing to use is pesticides made with neem oil. Be sure to cover all leaf surfaces completely. Repeat treatment every 5-7 days until there is no sign of Spider Mite presence.

You can use a commercial insecticidal soap spray or you can make your own insecticidal soap spray. It is best to make homemade insecticidal soap using soap that contains no perfumes, dyes, moisturizers or deodorants. Never use liquid hand soap, such as Soft Soap, to make insecticidal soap spray.  A lot of people commonly use dishwashing liquid to make insecticidal soap spray, but dishwashing liquid contains a lot of perfumes, dyes and degreasers that can be harmful to plants. What I recommend doing is getting a small bar (or cutting a sizable chunk off of a larger bar) of a 'pure' soap, such as Ivory. Cut the bar (or chunk) into several small pieces, put them in a small amount of water and allow them to 'melt'. You now have a concentrate that can easily be mixed with an additional amount of water to make an insecticidal soap spray. Here is a good recipe for homemade insecticidal soap that I have had good results with;

Mix 4 TBSP of the soap concentrate (or 1 TBSP of dishwashing liquid) and 1 TBSP of vegetable oil into 2 quarts ( 8 cups) of lukewarm water. You can also use this recipe without the vegetable oil for most insects. I usually only add the vegetable oil for heavy populations of spider mites. Remember, you will need to repeat treatment every 5-7 days until there is no longer any signs of spider mites. You may have to repeat treatment several times before the spider mites are completely gone.

The most important part of insect control is early detection. A few insects on a plant is much easier to get rid of than an infestation of hundreds on several plants. Check plants often for any sign of insect presence and if found, act quickly. Keep affected plants away from other plants to prevent the insects from spreading to other plants. Keeping plants clean by spraying plants with water about once a month will not only wash away dust and dirt but also any insects that may have found their way into your home, preventing them from evolving into an out of control infestation.

Plants that are healthy are much less susceptible to infestations of insects. Always follow good cultural practices. Warm and dry conditions commonly found in most homes are ideal conditions for some insects such as Spider Mites. Misting plants regularly may help.

Pruning the plant soon after transplanting should not cause any problems. However it would probably be best to get rid of the spider mites and prune the plant before you repot. Insects and repotting causes a great deal of stress on a plant. It would be best to give the plant at least a month to recover from the stress of the spider mite infestation before you add the additional stress of repotting. Even plants that are completely healthy can have a hard time recovering from the stress of repotting. Repotting a plant that is already unhealthy and stressed can be fatal to the plant.
One of the most common causes of plant failure is unnecessary repotting. Plants should only be repotted when they need it. Plants usually only need to be repotted when they out grow the pot they are in. The most common signs that a plant has become rootbound and needs repotting is a constant demand for water, little or no new growth and roots growing out of the drainage holes or growing out of the top of the soil. When you lift the plant out of the pot, if there is little or no visible dirt on the rootball and/or in the bottom of the pot then plant needs to be repotted to a bigger pot. Never repot a plant into a pot that is more than 2 inches bigger than the pot the plant was in.



If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
 Tracy

PS ~  I have written a guide on insect control on houseplants. It contains a lot of information on the most common insects that are found on houseplants and the different types of insecticides used to control them. Here is a link to the guide if you would like to read it;

http://reviews.ebay.com/Insect-Control-On-Houseplants_W0QQugidZ10000000004625662