Mites? Or?

[Dollythehun]

Thanks! I did treat everyone when it was warmer with 3 in 1 , which this one says kills spiders (which should include mites) then I have been soaking it repeatedly with the soap/alcohol solution. I am concerned I harmed it with the 3 in 1 since I read Leisurely's post last week. At any rate, it is isolated. I did also use Neem oil, alternately. So, I'm on the right track but the plant just looks "off." That's why I've asked if anything else could cause these symptoms.

[Dollythehun]

I think this plant is sunburned. When I sprayed it, I set it in the deck rail, sprayed and let dry
It was a cloudy day, not a peak of sun. But this sure looks like a sunburn to me.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I think this plant is sunburned. When I sprayed it, I set it in the deck rail, sprayed and let dry
It was a cloudy day, not a peak of sun. But this sure looks like a sunburn to me.

Has that look. Dehydration might tend to make it worse... and the wrinkling of the leaves at the base are indicators of that. But you have already noted that you need to beef up the watering. Just a bit more evidence...

[Dollythehun]

Thanks Roberta. This is a favorite plant. I'm spraying it with Neem tomorrow and putting it back with the herd. It'll recover, eventually.

[katrina]

I have had a few dens do that when I first bring them inside and under lights in late summer and there was never mites. I've always chalked it up to the lights being hot and dry. This year I made a point of placing them a little off center of the lights and increased the waterimg during the acclimation back to lights and so far, so good.

If there are mites...and I am all too familiar with what to look for because of the ctsm...you will see small pin prick sized holes and a bit of oozing on the underside of the leaves. It's a result of their feeding activity. If you have enough mites to completely stipple the top of the leaves...there will be a good deal of oozing. If you see no evidence of either or both of those things under the leaves...it is safe to say, you don't have mites.

[Dollythehun]

No oozing. I'm familiar with them too. A severe infestation brings webbing with it. No streaking on paper, no oozing, no webs, and no lights. I think I've harmed it by spraying it so much. I realize sunburn can occur without sun and so I wonder if just setting outside burnt it. I haven't killed or had a struggling plant in a long time, this was a fave too. I am puzzled and bummed. Your input was helpful. Thank you.

[katrina]

Yea, too much spraying with alcohol and using certain soaps can strip the protective waxy coating. It's possible that you stripped enough of it that even on a cloudy day you ended up with some burn/dehydrated leaves. Kind of like when I first start working in the beds in the spring...if i forget the sun block, my pale skin will turn tomato red, even on a completely cloudy day.

[Dollythehun]

Makes sense. I'll spray it with Neem oil today and put it back. Also, when I isolated it, it got more sun and a lamp. Sometimes sleuthing these problems out is like puzzle pieces.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Sometimes sleuthing these problems out is like puzzle pieces.

I've always loved a good mystery!!

[Debra]

I just joined, and came to this section looking for good advice on thrips, as I suspected the damage on the underside of my phal leaves - just like this old silvery pitted damage was being caused by thrips.

A couple reasons- I've never seen mite damage get this bad without seeing webbing, and not be able to find live mites.

I know thrips will spend at least part of their life cycle in soil or media, and are especially hard to find except at dawn and dusk.

Some of the phals do have wrinkled leaves, but not all of them with this damage. I' am one of those people who can spot a dry plant out of the corner of my eye. I suspect root damage, but I'm not sure in every case whether it's media break down or thrips feeding on the roots. I've done the alcohol wipe down and horticultural oils and bifenthrin on the leaves, but suspect I'm not making contact. The only real success story for me has been taking them out of the sunroom, removing all of the media ,root, and leaf damage and leaving them out in the colder greenhouse until I see signs of new root and foliage growth. And I have dumped A LOT of almost new, high quality sphagnum along the way.

So, I'd advise not necessarily watering more often but checking your root health and whether your media has broken down. But I'd LOVE to hear thrips remedies that are safe for roots and for blooms.

Debra