I got a bonsai about two weeks ago and I've been keeping it indoors and watering occasionally. It started getting what seemed to be white round fuzzy mold on the leaves;i got those off . Now i keep finding small webs and gray little bugs ?? I also can't tell if it needs to be repotted. I'll attach some pictures . There are brown spots attached to my leaves as well. Im completely new to bonsai, I've never cared for a plant in my life. Im afraid either the bugs will kill it or rotting. Does my bonsai look healthy to you? The moss also doesn't seem to be doing well even though I've been watering it .
Help with Schefflera bonsai
- Thread starter leafydays
- Start date
zero
Mame
It’s definitely some kind of pest- I have a number of these Schefflera and they don’t have any speckles at all. This could be either some aphids spider mites or scale possibly. I’m a novice but I have enough houseplants to know you want to wash every last bit of all of this off your plant, treat it with some Neem Oil you can pick up from a garden center or big box hardware store and change the soil would also be my recommendation. You can use a paintbrush to rub down the leaves if spraying water isn’t getting rid of the pests. Any webs formed means it’s probably spider mites. Get rid of all the webbing and also clean the bottom of the leaves as well. Ideally, you’d have a nice soil mix for these but if this is your first plant you may want to get some regular cactus soil from the garden center. If you’d like to treat your Schefflera to a nicer soil you can consider purchasing some better soil online such as Boons Mix from SuperflyBonsai or such. It won’t hold as much water, but it’ll be better for your plant overall.
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
(Everything stated above is sound advice.)
Looks like AT LEAST spider mites.
Take a white piece of paper.... hold it underneath the branches.. and biff ‘em, jiggly-bones style...
Observe the paper... are there dots?
observe the dots, CLOSELY.. are they moving... If so... Spider mites...
You mentioned small grey bugs... do they look like squishy beetles.. or isopods?.. or do they have wings?
Looks like AT LEAST spider mites.
Take a white piece of paper.... hold it underneath the branches.. and biff ‘em, jiggly-bones style...
Observe the paper... are there dots?
observe the dots, CLOSELY.. are they moving... If so... Spider mites...
You mentioned small grey bugs... do they look like squishy beetles.. or isopods?.. or do they have wings?
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Seems they've had quite the winter party indoors!
Welcome to Crazy!
I'd blast it with a hose for a while in every nook and cranny.
See if then just keeping it outside will keep it healthy enough to not have to use further eradication methods.
If not, you may turn into leaflessnights!
Sorce
Welcome to Crazy!
I'd blast it with a hose for a while in every nook and cranny.
See if then just keeping it outside will keep it healthy enough to not have to use further eradication methods.
If not, you may turn into leaflessnights!
Sorce
Thank you! I'll have to try that. Do u think alcohol would be safe to use as well?
I did not see anything on the paper but i keep finding small webs.
Sort of like isopods they were very tiny and by the trunk of my tree. I haven't noticed them lately though. There has been ants I've been catching too .
My poor bonsai.. sigh. I will try that! Thanks!
zero
Mame
@leafydays I wouldn't recommend alcohol, but you could use Neem Oil which you're able to get at just about any hardware store with a garden center. If you can't get that then maybe use water and outdoor sunlight to assist you combatting whatever it is.
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Agreed!
People have quite varied opinions on NEEM.. but it’s always worked well for me..If mixing yourself, just make sure you agitate the oil WHILE mixing it in, portion at a time with the water. Also agitate (shake it around) before use...
If I NEEM.. I do a triple-treatment.. 4 and 8 days after initial.. it’s worked for me, personally...
