Any Botanists in the crowd? Help with Umbrella Tree

hamburger helper

Hi All,

I was hoping there was a house-plant expert in the forums who might direct their sage advice toward an ailing tree of mine. I bought an umbrella tree about two months ago and roughly 2 or 3 weeks ago, little millipedes or worms have been crawling out to die from beneath its base. Before that, leaves and branches started to fall off sporadically too. In fact, everyday since the leaves started falling off, I've noticed the worms. Any connection?

Some facts: I keep the tree in indirect sunlight and it was very healthy when I bought it from the plant store. I use a moisture meter and the tree has been reading "wet" or very "moist" for the past few weeks... which seems a bit strange as I was told to water and fertilize every 2 weeks or so when it becomes dry... I haven't watered it in the 2 months I've had it.

I also noticed today that the cute little branches that were sprouting before have now turned brown and look like they're dying

Any ideas? Any remedies (organic preferred)?

Here's my lovely tree:



Here are the worms:



Moisture meter reading:



Thanks guys!

MetroidZoid

I have one of these (oh, and work in a nursery. And am a Master Gardener trainee. So that's my botany-in-training for ya'). To be frank: this is a picky-bastard plant. Mine finally started looking better after a month when I bought it from work. First of all, stop watering it as much. It'll take it, don't worry. Let at least the top inch, inch 1/2 get dry before you water it again. Don't fertilize it (organically or otherwise) when it's stressing, it won't be primed to take up nutrients or worse it'll burn tender new roots. Keep it in a warm, sunny locale (but one that doesn't have drastic temperature changes, or that's in direct burning sunlight ... so, room with least fluctuating temperature, near a window but not directly in front). See how it's doing after a couple weeks at least, because they're slow-er growing plants and don't show change for a bit.

As far as those bugs go, they're larvae of some kind (not true worms, and not millipedes either. As long as you're not seeing significant bug-caused damage (eaten leaves, borer holes, whathaveyou), I woudn't worry. The rule is usually bugs don't kill a plant, bugs will begin to infest a plant that's already stressed to begin with. Bring the tree back to a healthy level, and the bugs will be mostly taken care of.

As far as fertilizer, if you can get some, Dr Earth makes a concentrate 3 - 3 - 3 OMRI certified organic liquid fertilizer that also has mycorhizzae in it. Awesome stuff, great for anything but especially houseplants because it doesn't reek like some fish meal and kelp meal does.

MetroidZoid

Also:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/716/
-Great website that covers almost every plant and common cultivar imaginable. Besides getting feedback about the species, this also gives a wide range of information on how people treat there specific plants. Keep in mind, different strokes for different folks. For example, if you were in San Diego, I'd say "Why is this not outside all year round?", and even though we get great summers here in Southern Oregon, this plant I still leave indoors (but spoil my variegated Ficus Benjamina by putting it outside) because like I said ... picky bastard. And since you're in BC ... Houseplant all year round I'd assume. Unless you had a heated greenhouse. And then I'd be jealous.
http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/scheffle.htm
Found something on your worms. It's the larvae of one of two flies (Ctrl+F 'larvae'), so if you notice they're lazy flies flirting about the plant, low to the ground, it'd be the slightly destructive former (which I assume, because I can see webbing on the leave in the photo), and if the adult flies are just all over the area, the not-so-destructive latter. But like I said, cutting back on water will help the plant, and make the incubation-area for these insects much less habitable.
Also also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schefflera
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schefflera_arboricola
Just more reading material. Yeah, I'm a plant geek.

PolloDiablo

Wow, there is no question that someone on here is not qualified to answer.

Gafoto

hamburger helper wrote: »

I haven't watered it in the 2 months I've had it.

This might be the problem. There's no need to rely on a moisture meter. You can tell how moist soil is just by looking at it and sticking your finger down in it. Does it feel wet? If it does, the plant is fine. If it's light, crumbly, cracking on the surface and shrinking away from the pot edge then it's too dry! Trust your instincts to some extent. If you haven't watered the plant in 2 months that is most likely the culprit of the decline in health.

hamburger helper

Gafoto wrote: »

hamburger helper wrote: »

I haven't watered it in the 2 months I've had it.

This might be the problem. There's no need to rely on a moisture meter. You can tell how moist soil is just by looking at it and sticking your finger down in it. Does it feel wet? If it does, the plant is fine. If it's light, crumbly, cracking on the surface and shrinking away from the pot edge then it's too dry! Trust your instincts to some extent. If you haven't watered the plant in 2 months that is most likely the culprit of the decline in health.

My worry is that the roots are rotting at the bottom of the plant. The meter reads dry until I plunge it into the deep base of the plant where it's still wet after all these weeks. If I water it some more, won't this encourage fungal growth if there is a rot problem?

hamburger helper

MetroidZoid wrote: »

Also:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/716/
-Great website that covers almost every plant and common cultivar imaginable. Besides getting feedback about the species, this also gives a wide range of information on how people treat there specific plants. Keep in mind, different strokes for different folks. For example, if you were in San Diego, I'd say "Why is this not outside all year round?", and even though we get great summers here in Southern Oregon, this plant I still leave indoors (but spoil my variegated Ficus Benjamina by putting it outside) because like I said ... picky bastard. And since you're in BC ... Houseplant all year round I'd assume. Unless you had a heated greenhouse. And then I'd be jealous.
http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/scheffle.htm
Found something on your worms. It's the larvae of one of two flies (Ctrl+F 'larvae'), so if you notice they're lazy flies flirting about the plant, low to the ground, it'd be the slightly destructive former (which I assume, because I can see webbing on the leave in the photo), and if the adult flies are just all over the area, the not-so-destructive latter. But like I said, cutting back on water will help the plant, and make the incubation-area for these insects much less habitable.
Also also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schefflera
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schefflera_arboricola
Just more reading material. Yeah, I'm a plant geek.

Thanks for these great resources! I'll keep researching

Hypatia

hamburger helper wrote: »

Gafoto wrote: »

hamburger helper wrote: »

I haven't watered it in the 2 months I've had it.

My worry is that the roots are rotting at the bottom of the plant. The meter reads dry until I plunge it into the deep base of the plant where it's still wet after all these weeks. If I water it some more, won't this encourage fungal growth if there is a rot problem?

That's kind of what it sounds like but I'm not an expert. If it were me, I'd check to make sure that the pot is draining correctly an that the soil isn't too packed on the bottom preventing the water from getting out. Maybe try poking more holes in the pot or getting a pot with bigger/more holes and if you can put it on an oven rack or something so that it's raised a bit above another dish for catching the water. Like I said, I'm not an expert, that's just kind of the feel I get.

hamburger helper

Hypatia wrote: »

hamburger helper wrote: »

Gafoto wrote: »

hamburger helper wrote: »

I haven't watered it in the 2 months I've had it.

My worry is that the roots are rotting at the bottom of the plant. The meter reads dry until I plunge it into the deep base of the plant where it's still wet after all these weeks. If I water it some more, won't this encourage fungal growth if there is a rot problem?

That's kind of what it sounds like but I'm not an expert. If it were me, I'd check to make sure that the pot is draining correctly an that the soil isn't too packed on the bottom preventing the water from getting out. Maybe try poking more holes in the pot or getting a pot with bigger/more holes and if you can put it on an oven rack or something so that it's raised a bit above another dish for catching the water. Like I said, I'm not an expert, that's just kind of the feel I get.

I'll try elevating it - thanks

Gafoto

Is it sitting in water? Does the pot drain? If it's in a tray, try filling the tray with gravel to keep it from sitting in water or empty the tray from time to time. Potting soil generally drains pretty well. You can always just yank the entire rootball out of the pot to check on it if you're suspicious.

hamburger helper

Gafoto wrote: »

Is it sitting in water? Does the pot drain? If it's in a tray, try filling the tray with gravel to keep it from sitting in water or empty the tray from time to time. Potting soil generally drains pretty well. You can always just yank the entire rootball out of the pot to check on it if you're suspicious.

I may end up doing that if things don't get any better. I elevated the plant and have it sitting on pegs to assist the drainage. I also cut numerous holes in the sides of the plant pot. Hopefully that helps. Thanks for everyone's help!