Question
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Followup To
Question  hello there
my tree is over 5 feet tall and in a 24" dia pot it sits 12" from the window i say small like spider webs all in the limbs, i thought it was because it needed to be transplanted, and i water only once a week, as they sit on the floor i try and keep it around 76 degrees in here they were repotted about 1 month ago and had them about 8 months the living room faces north and they have been there 8 months

so what do you think about money trees, mine are 5.5 feet tall and they get wartered every other week as they don't like to be too wet, thier lims seem weepy and the leaves keep turning yellow and soft and fall off.

Ficus benjamina trees drop their leaves for many different reasons. Spider mites are quite rare on Ficus trees. Do you know for sure what spider mies look like and have you actually seen them on your trees? If you have, let me know and I will send you treatment instructions.

If it is not spider mites causing the leaf drop, then I would need more information from you to determine the cause. For example, how close to a window are your plants and what direction does the window face? How tall are the trees and how wide are the pots? How do you decide when and how much to water? When was the last time the trees were repotted? How long have you had the trees. How long have they been in their present location?

Sorry about all the questions, but it is important to determine the cause of the leaf drop before we decide what to do about it.

I look forward to your reply.

Will Creed

Answer
Hi Carly,

I suspect that the leaf drop is related to the repotting a month ago. Ficus trees often react to having their roots disturbed by dropping leaves. You should observe a gradual reduction in the leaf drop in the next couple of weeks and then new leaves will gradually emerge to replace the ones that have fallen off.

The pot is too large for a Ficus tree that size. Ordinarily, a 5-6 foor tree should be in a 12" or 14" diameter pot. You have to be careful not to water too frequently. All of that extra soil in the large pot tends to stay moist for too long and can rot the roots. Make sure the soil is quite dry in between waterings. The alternative is to move the tree back into a smaller pot.

The spider mites can be treated with a very thorough spraying with a solution of liquid soap and water. Thoroughly drench all leaf and stem surfaces, especially the undersides. The mites are too small for you to see easily so you must get all surfaces dripping wet to be sure that you remove them all. Best if you do this outside.

There are several plants that go by the name money tree. Is yours the Pachira aquatica? What kind of light does it get?

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

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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

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