Sad Prayer Plant

Question

Hi everyone! I’m a plant newbie so I’m navigating how to help my plants survive (hence the username lol) This is my first time owning a prayer plant and I seem to be struggling with it. I’ve had it for 2 months now. In the first month it was doing great, so much so I even got 2 flowers! This past month it seems to be struggling more and I’m not sure why. I water it once a week and fertilize it once a month. It has 3 yellow leaves consistently. (Even after I prune them off new develop). 2 were droopy. I am getting a new leaf or two still however. Should I repot to help see if the moisture is absorbed better? Should I be worried about spider mites? Any tips are much appreciated! Thanks in advance! #PrayerPlant  #yellowleaves #help

@BabeVila · Answer

Hi! If you’re worried about spider mites, they are easy to find once you know what you’re looking for! Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass and look for tiny dots or webs. Hopefully, you don’t have them, they prefer dry and dusty atmospheres, but they are opportunistic and it’s always better to be safe! As for the drooping/yellowing, it sounds like a moisture problem. What kind of soil mix are you using? It may be holding onto too much water or it could be too dense and the roots might not be getting enough air. If you can post a closer up picture of the affected leaves I could give more accurate advice but in general, make sure the soil isn’t too dense, it’s getting medium light or bright indirect light, and keep the soil moist but not soggy. It should feel like a sponge that’s been wrung out. Lmk if you have any questions, I’m happy to help! 💚🌿

@MockingJay · Answer

@BabeVila have great advice🪴

Just adding it could be nutrient overdose too🤔 Do you delute your fertilizer?
Do you use tap-water? If your water is hard or alkaline they might react to that too🙈

Also you should check if the top soil is dry before watering, not necessarily water right on schedule🪴

@MockingJay · Answer

@PleaseSurvive But you do have some speckles on your cut-off leaves that I am a little suspicious about🤔 You need to check the underside of the leaves 🌱🌱

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive I love helping people with their plants! It makes me feel good so we both win! 😇 Haha. @MockingJay is right, I am suspicious of those little dots, too. If you look underneath your leaves, do you see and specks or any areas where if you shine a light on the leaf, you can see little tiny dots or holes? If so, you definitely have a pest. It might not be mites, but they are all treated similarly. Veronika made a great point about the water, too. I give my prayer plant filtered water (I just have a filter that screws onto my sink faucet, nothing fancy) and I add some concentrated worm castings to it to help with growth because I’m afraid to try chemical fertilizers lol. The worm castings are not a must, but water quality is. And I didn’t even think of the fertilizer element, but she is right about that, too. Have you used a fertilizer recently?  Whatever it is, we can get to the bottom of it! It’s my favorite thing about this app, how we all help each other! Let me know about my new questions when/if you want, and I’ll have some more insight for you! 💚

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive thank you for the zoomed in pics! It looks to me like you have a case of spider mites, but I don’t think they are what is causing your leaves to turn yellow. I think that is either a fertilizer issue like @MockingJay said or a moisture issue. I would recommend not to use the plant food for a while and see if you notice a difference. Veronika will probably have better advice on that angle since I don’t use regular fertilizer. As for a possible moisture/root problem, the best way to tell is to unpot the plant and have a look at the roots, but I’m hesitant to recommend that right now since your plant is already stressed. I would say if you have more leaves turning yellow over the next week or two, then definitely check the roots for root rot. However, first things first—having dealt with spider mites so many times I’ve declared them my nemesis, I can help you with that!! Many people recommend neem oil to kill them, and it does work, but considering your plant is already stressed, I would try some other things first, as neem can be stressful for some plants. First thing I would recommend is put the plant in your kitchen sink and spray it with the sprayer attachment, the foliage only, try not to get it in the soil. That will get rid of a lot of them. Then after it dries, I recommend some rubbing alcohol; it’s my go-to to kill these suckers! It kills them on contact and does not harm the plants. I put 70% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle and just spray the entire plant down, including under all the leaves and in every nook and cranny until it’s dripping off the plant. Then take a paper towel and gently but somewhat firmly wipe the top and bottom of each leaf—spider mites like to hide under leaves and near the stems. They are the little black dots. They’re so small you can barely see them, but when you are wiping with the paper towel, they will smear across it as you wipe. I like that because it’s extra assurance they’re dead. They’ve taken out too many of my plants before I learned how to deal with them, so not I have no mercy, lol. Once they are dealt with, the yellow leaf issue will be easy enough to resolve, but you want to catch and kill pests as soon as possible because they breed so fast. if you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can use any insecticidal soap or dish soap mixed with water as a last resort to kill them. I’m here if you have any questions!

@BabeVila · Answer

So sorry for the book! Lol I like to be thorough

@MockingJay · Answer

Great advice from Shannon there😊 I'm thinking it looks like thrips🤔, not a very heavy infestation (yet), but treat it sooner rather than later! If it is thrips they can fly when adult so check your other plants as well🙈 (that goes anyway, as spider-mites spreads fast too😮). I have sprayed my plants with 1 part dishwasher-soap to 9 part water when I have batteled those🙈 It might dry out the leaves a little though 🌱 (Repeat after a few days)

And I also agree that it is probably not pests that it causing your yellow leaves. Try filtered water (or rain-water) for a while and hold back fertilizer as adviced. And maybe wait a few more days before watering as you can still see the top is slightly moist from your picture now.🪴💚

@MockingJay · Answer

Oh! And next time you water try to flush the soil with filtered/rainwater to get rid of excess nutrients and minerals in the soil. Flush untill the water that drains out is clear.🪴

@BabeVila · Answer

Yesss great point, @MockingJay! And definitely could be thrips too. Either way, don’t do every day, but I would do it once and then observe and again 3 days later just for good measure. But definitely keep the plant isolated from your others until you are 100% sure they are gone! It sometimes takes a few rounds of treatment. Once the pests are gone, and you’ve gone a couple weeks more without the fertilizer and used filtered or rainwater, if you are still having yellowing leaves, just @ me and I’ll be happy to assist! I’ll probably tell you to check the roots at that point, but we will cross that bridge IF we come to it! Lol. You can do this, we were all new plant moms at first! 💚

@MockingJay · Answer

@PleaseSurvive I have sprayed again after a couple of days, 2-3 times. Checked the plants every day for a long period and repeated treatment if necessarily 🙈

I always water mine until it drains, I never look at the amount😅 I just give them a heavy drink and let it drain in the sink for a while😄 It is more important to have well-draining soil I think (that also keeps some moisture). If you never water until it drains you might get mineral-built-up in the soil, and also risk that the soil gets unevenly moist, and some plants just don't tolerate that🙈

@MockingJay · Answer

@PleaseSurvive maybe just put it in a transparent plastic bag or something if you don't have another room to put it in?😅 I don’t  know the environment where you live might make it able to be ok outside, but I don't think I would risk it as they don't like change in environment and don't like drafts.
Also.. outside is where the thrips might come from👀

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive you don’t  have to go that far, a different room from your other plants is good enough!  I wouldn’t put it outside, it will pick up more little critters 🌿 If your garage is warm and has a window with good light, you can, but you don’t have to go that far. As for watering, I bottom water almost all of my plants—this takes a bit longer but it’s so good for them. You just put the entire plant with its pot into a container of water and the plant will absorb the water through the drain hole on the bottom. This way, there is no risk of overwatering—the soil only soaks up what it needs. It also encourages strong, healthy roots and helps keep gnats away (they like to lay their eggs in damp soil)! I highly recommend it. But I understand it’s not for everyone and top watering is absolutely fine, but it’s much better to water more, less often, than to water a little bit, more frequently. You want to give your plants a nice deep drink when you water them, until water pours out of the drain hole. This helps flush the soil and makes sure the water gets to the roots. If you only use a tiny bit of water, that forces the roots to grow upwards in search of the water and results in a shallow and weak root system. So whether to you water from top or bottom, always give them a big drink! Most plants do well with the soak and dry method which is a big drink and then not watering again until the soil is dry or almost dry. But some plants, like the prayer plant, do prefer to stay slightly moist. I see yours is in a self watering pot, which is actually perfect. Just keep the reservoir full on the bottom and it will only take what it needs. I have mine in a self watering pot and it’s doing great 😊 Boy I am super rambly tonight but I hope I’ve been helpful! 🤣

@MockingJay · Answer

@PleaseSurvive I am no expert in soil, and have quite recently started to learn about it too😅 
But I have made do with what I have had lying about. So for my calathea's I have made a mix of ordinary cheap peat-soil, some gravel from the yard, and some crushed leca (instead of perlite). And they seem to like it😅 Occationaly I have had some orcid barc, coco choir or coco bricks that I have mixed in too🪴 Most important is just to get some bigger chuncs in so that the soil doesn't get that compact. 🪴

@MockingJay · Answer

@BabeVila you are doing great Shannon 😊 You have excellent advices🪴😊 Appreciate there is more than me that can't help themself but to pour out information😄 #adhdplantlovers

@BabeVila · Answer

@MockingJay ha that is for sure! It’s such a great thing that I have this opportunity to share all the cool stuff I’ve learned with other people who want to hear it! 💚

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive I’m so happy I’ve at least been helpful! I know what you mean about not having much light, I have most of my indoor plants under grow lights for the same reason. So yeah, anytime you see a pot with an opening like that and a removable tray, it’s usually self-watering—some are better than others, and most plants don’t seem to like them much, so be very selective about what kind of plants you use them with. That will come in time, you will learn as you go and we will all be here to help. 😊 But yes your prayer plant should do well in that type of pot and that would solve the overwatering problem if there is one—though there may still be a soil moisture retention issue that needs to be solved separately , but let’s get rid of those bugs first and after you make the other adjustments, we’ll see if you still have yellow leaves. I’m betting you won’t! But if so, then I’ll be glad to help you with that! And yes you watered your monstera correctly! You’ve got this! 🙌🏼

@BabeVila · Answer

Hi! This just popped up when I was browsing The Spruce, so I thought I’d share! It has some good tips that we didn’t mention yesterday! 💚 https://www.thespruce.com/lemon-lime-maranta-care-guide-8603421?hid=95d53033ef0c2ec9cecd8b42aab9f2961edcbff3&did=13214513-20240612&utm_source=thespruce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-spruce-daily_newsletter&utm_content=061224&lctg=95d53033ef0c2ec9cecd8b42aab9f2961edcbff3&lr_input=f3bef272734554bb2ecbbfa36238436e63062c11b90079c9c7d1e8a054150f8d

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive I only self water. I fill up the reservoir on bottom every 5 days or so. But I touch the soil every day to make sure it’s barely moist

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive you got it! If you have any other questions, just let me know 😊

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive hi! Wow, it’s looking pretty good overall. I would cut all the dead brown parts that you safely can (without damaging the plant) to let the plant focus on new growth. Those black spots did look awfully like mites to me, but if they won’t come off, maybe they’re not! If you’re not seeing any more leaf damage in the form of little circles where they sucked the chlorophyll out of the leaf, and no webbing, they you’re probably safe! Just keep a close eye on it over the next few weeks, and I’d keep it isolated a little longer to be safe. Otherwise it looks like it’s coming along nicely! Any more yellow leaves? Sometimes it can take a while to adjust to changes we make, such as with watering or in this case, easing up on watering/only watering through the reservoir on the bottom of the pot… let me know how everything goes, I feel totally invested in this! Lol. I so want you to have success with your plant babies! 🪴💚

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive One note—it looks as if you’ve top watered it a little bit, which I’m inferring from the darker soil in the middle area and the lighter dry soil on the perimeter. I just want to point out, can in a case like this, where you are trying to rehab your plant, the bottom reservoir of the self watering pot can make sure the plant will only take the water it needs and it will evenly disperse throughout the soil, ensuring all the roots get water and helping with better root growth (the roots will grow down, “reaching” for the water in the bottom). If you’d rather top water, that’s also okay, but in that case, I’d recommend removing the bottom reservoir from the pot so when you water, it can flow freely through the bottom of the pot, and you want to water deeply, less frequently, rather than a small amount more frequently (watering a small amount more frequently was what I used to do and I killed so many plants! It doesn’t allow for good root growth as most of the water stays near the top of the soil, causing the root system to remain weak and shallow, and can also cause problems like mold and fungus gnats). So when you top water, do so only when the soil is dry, and water deeply so it flows out of the bottom. Then you know the water is being evenly distributed.  I hope this makes sense! If not feel free to ask questions, it’s what I am here for! 😊

@BabeVila · Answer

@PleaseSurvive ah, I see. That makes sense—I’d forgotten about the fertilizer and you flushing that out. Good plan, but keep an eye on things and if the plant starts to droop or get crispy, fill the reservoir on bottom instead of a top water so it can soak up what it needs and no more. Then just fill it every 4-5 days. Until then, I would take a break and let it dry out as much as you can so we can rectify the yellow leaf situation, and you can go ahead and cut the one that is all shriveled, and probably the one in the third picture that is turning. That way the plant will divert its resources to the healthy parts. You may have a few more turn yellow before it’s over, but don’t worry; just snip them and the plant will adjust as the excess water is used or evaporates. Once it reaches its preferred equilibrium, they will stop turning yellow. It’s hugely wonderful that it’s still putting out new growth! You’ve got this 💚

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