Whats wrong with my ventricosa?

[Marigoldsfail21]

Recently one of my ventricosas has been looking like this. The last pitcher started drying up even before it finished opening. I had been giving it enough water so I assumed it was looking scorched because of too much light. After putting it in a darker spot it's still looking terrible.







What concerns me the most is these brown patches under the leaves.
Over 65% of the underside of the leaves are covered in these patches.




It sorta looks like the stomata might be burnt but the humidity has been in the 70's so I don't think it's that. Any suggestions or ideas anyone has would be great.

[Aliamyz]

Yes i can see that alright.The new leaf is also very small compare to others.
Don't change the place too much.!
Cut off the infected leaves(or it will dry up by itself soon)

[Marigoldsfail21]

I would but I'm just not quite sure what it is. It would only be a benifit to cut the worst leaves off if it was a bacterial or fungus infection, and it dosen't look like it's either of those. And if it's a virus infection then the plant is doomed anyway.

[Marigoldsfail21]

Well I took a closer look at the plant and now I know what it is. I saw that some of the little specks were moving around, so I'm assuming that they're some sort of mites. They're orange-colored and a lot smaller than any other mites I've seen before, which is probably why I missed them when I examined the plant earlier.

I'm keeping the plant isolated in a plastic bag for now. I'll take the plant out of the pot later and wash it before planting it in some fresh soil. I'm hoping that will take care of the problem.

[Aliamyz]

Good luck......!!

[David]

The media looks fresh and good to me.

Some of my plants also look like that when they do not get enough sunlight, the media is wet for too long between waterings and the conditions is too humid. Did you use any fertiliser on the plant? Was the media new?


I think you should cut of all the infected leaves like what Aliamyz said. Leave that one leave that is healthy. It would be good to check the roots too to see if anything is wrong. Maybe repot and let the media dry out a little in between watering.

[poweramps]

Originally Posted by Marigoldsfail21

Well I took a closer look at the plant and now I know what it is. I saw that some of the little specks were moving around, so I'm assuming that they're some sort of mites. They're orange-colored and a lot smaller than any other mites I've seen before, which is probably why I missed them when I examined the plant earlier.

I'm keeping the plant isolated in a plastic bag for now. I'll take the plant out of the pot later and wash it before planting it in some fresh soil. I'm hoping that will take care of the problem.

Eeek, I gave up planting roses due to spider mites and false spider mites. Must I give up neps as well?!!!

Would orthonex work if it is sprayed on a cool day and then flushed off an hour or so later to prevent the plant from burning. And repeated 3 to five days later in 3 cycles? Orthonex has the habit of burning leaves on a hot dry day.

[Marigoldsfail21]

The media was what came with the plant when I bought it about a month ago, and I haven't fertillized my neps. Actually it looked like it was getting too much light at first; my other ventricosa is in a darker spot and doing fine.

I think I will cut off the infected leaves when I transplant it, thanks for the advice.

The media that it was in before was an orchid bark and coconut fiber mix. I'll include some LFS in the new medium, and maybe that will be better for the plant. (I read somewhere that mites actually like warm, dry conditions) I might also put a bit of rooting powder on the roots to help it recover faster.

[Marigoldsfail21]

Haha, poweramp, you posted before I had even finished my post. Yeah I really hate mites. Almost lost my sanguinea to them last year. The only think is that these mites are different than any I've seen before, and they're attacking the plant differently than others. I think I'll just transplant it and cut off the bad leaves though, I don't want to have to go out and get some orthonex just to have to risk the plant getting burned by it. If the mites dont go away after my first attempt I will try that though, thanks.

[arvin555]

This is just a suggestion. Try soaking the whole plant underwater for a few hours, if those things are alive, hopefully they will drown in a few hourse of soaking. Our neps can take a few hours of being fully underwater. Try this several time if possible and see if the small things start decreasing. Another alterative is to do the dish washing soap method, for me it's the dish washing spoap sud method. Apply dish washing soap foam on or under the leaves where the organisms are, wait a few minutes maybe 10 mins. and then rinse. Do again as necessary.

I've soaked a whole ventricosa because of mealy worms on it's roots, and used soap sud method on drosera flowerstalks and leaves of chili plants.

TTFN
Arvin