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| I'm growing for two years some ehretia buxifolia seedlings (from seed). They've been healthy until now, they've been shedding some yellow brisk leaves as the winter installed, this year. Some leaves are still healthy, and has some new growth even now, during its supposed dormant season.
They were repotted in the Summer of 2005, with a 3:3:1 (Akadama:Coarse sand:Turface) soil composition. Since then they've received normal monthly NPK feeding interposed with vitamins, micronutrients and iron. This year, on the onset of winter, received their last NPK feeding on 29/10, and a PK feed on 15/11. Vitamins on 27/11. In December, my plants were infestated with red spider mites, stopping the feeding program and receiving a sprayed insecticide treatment twice, on 9/12 and 22/12. Any suggestions?
Many, many thanks in advance, and I apologize for the lengthy message :)
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| The least thing you should worry about is fertilizing (especially in winter). If you normally use just a balanced one made for house plants, about every 2 weeks in spring and summer, monthly in the fall and winter, that should be enough. Are you sure you have killed all the mites? Until they're gone, I would not worry about fertilizer! Mites are attracted by dry conditions, and Fukien tea (Ehretia/Carmona microphylla) need a very humid environment as they are from the tropics. You should have a tray of rocks under the pot, with water in the tray, but never allow the water to touch the pot (or you could rot roots). Also, your soil mix is good for trees like pines, maples, even succulents, but tropical plants need more soil in there to hold more water, so cut the Turface right out I think, and add more soil, use the humidity tray (make sure it's nice and wide). Wash all the foliage with water, then use a mix of water and 1-2 drops of dish soap (detergent) in a spray, followed by another one in a week. If you keep up the humidity, you should have better luck with mites. Do water (from above, not in the sink) when the top of the soil is dry (every ~2 days). |
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| Thanks lucy ;) I'll try the "detergent" solution, although the insecticide I used appear to have worked fine. It's better to be 100% certain those bugs aren't around I guess. As for the soil composition, you're absolutely right. The thing I called "Turface" is actually peat... It was a sad mistake of mine, as the portuguese word for peat is "Turfa"... :p Sorry about that. So, having this corrected, what do you think about the 3:3:1 (Akadama:Coarse sand[I use washed aquarium sand]:peat) soil for carmonas? |
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| Thanks lucy ;) I'll try the "detergent" solution, although the insecticide I used appear to have worked fine. It's better to be 100% certain those bugs aren't around I guess. As for the soil composition, you're absolutely right. The thing I called "Turface" is actually peat... It was a sad mistake of mine, as the portuguese word for peat is "Turfa"... :p Sorry about that. So, having this corrected, what do you think about the 3:3:1 (Akadama:Coarse sand[I use washed aquarium sand]:peat) soil for carmonas? |
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| I'd switch the proportions of the mix to 2:2:2 (if that makes mathematical sense :-). |
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| Many thanks again Lucy :) Beware lil' Spider Mites, here I come! Best regards, By the way, for future readers of these posts, check out the link below for additional info on Red Spider Mites. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Red Spider Mites
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