Question
QUESTION: I have a variegated schefflera plant from Lowe's that I purchased 2 weeks ago.  It is in a room which receives filtered afternoon sun.  I have only watered it once, thoroughly.  However the leaves are developing brown spots.  The spot starts small near the middle of the leaf.  It spreads throughout the day or night and appears splotchy.  It is not yellow or black but brown.  When I touch the leaf, it falls off.  The brown areas can be seen from under the leaf too.  I do not spray or mist the plant either.  I've applied a 3 in 1 fungicide, insecticide, miticide but it has not helped.  I lose a few leaves every day. Can you  help?

ANSWER: Hi Cindy,

Never use chemical sprays unless you have identified the specific problem. Combination sprays are not as effective and they are far more hazardous to use. In addition, these chemical sprays can cause damage to plants if they are not used properly.

I need additional information to help you determine the cause of the leaf spots.

Are the spots appearing on old leaves, new leaves or both? Which leaves are falling off - new or old?

Was the plant repotted just before or since you purchased it? How tall is the plant and how wide is the pot?

How far from the window is your Schefflera? Is the window uncovered, covered or partially covered during the day?

How dry does the soil get before you water it thoroughly?

A photo of the entire plant, including its pot, and a photo of the spotted leaves would be very helpful. E-mail the photos to me at [email protected]

Regards,
Will Creed



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The product was an organic 3-1 by Safer.  The spots are appearing on old and new leaves but not the new baby leaves.  Both are falling off.  The plant was not repotted.  It is in the 10" black plastic pot it came in from Lowe's and the plant is 26" high.  It is about 10' from the window.  The window has honeycomb blinds that are down all day.  I let the top inch of soil get dry before I water it.  Sorry, I do not have a digital camera and can not send photos right now.  The spots appear on the variegated leaves more on the yellow part than the green part.  There is also a strong odor when you get near the plant.

Answer
Hi Cindy,

Thanks for the information.

It is unlikely that the spots are caused by insect pests, mites or a fungus, so the Safer 3-1 will not help.

Your variegated Schefflera arboricola is not getting enough light. Even if the window was completely uncovered, 10-feet is too far away. But the closed honeycomb blinds are filtering out too much light, so moving your plant close to the window will not be enough.

Move your plant to within a few feet of the window and open up the blinds at least partially. I cannot be more precise than that because you didn't indicate the direction that the window faces. The increased light should lead to a gradual improvement in the spots and leaf drop.

It is good that you did not repot and your watering is about right, although you might allow the soil to dry another inch deeper before watering.

The odor may be coming from the Safer spray because it contains sulfur, which smells like rotten eggs.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]