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Help! My beautiful money tree is not well!

reathomsonreathomson Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hello all! I have a beautiful money tree (which wasn't cheap!) that I bought in the summer. Recently it had been losing leaves and they are going yellow. I repotted it not long after I got it as it was planted squint and falling over. I used houseplant soil (photo attached) and mixed in horticultural grit. I water it once a month as per the instructions that came with it until the water flows out the bottom then I left it drain. It sits on a small dish so it has water under it that it isn't touching for humidity. 

Recently it's started going yellow, brown, and losing leaves. I'm worried I've overwatered it as the soil is still damp after a couple of weeks. It's also winter here (Scotland) so it's dropped in temperature and there is not many sunlight hours. Should I repot it in a smaller pot? Should I report it to get it out the damp soil? Also some of the leave are crinkled round the edges! And one or two have a black spot!

I love this plant. Please help me rescue it! Thanks so much for any advice anyone can offer.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Did you plant it a bit deeper than it was when you bought it?  That can cause problems 🤔 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • reathomsonreathomson Posts: 4
    Not substantially that I remember... Definitely a bit because it’s all the new soil on the top but not by a lot I don’t think. 

    Thank you very much for your reply 😊
  • ERICS MUMERICS MUM Posts: 627
    A couple of thoughts.
    1. Pot looks a bit small for a plant of that size

    2. There are some houseplant pests that can do this sort of damage.  Have a very close look at it, especially undersides of leaves and where stalks join together.  If you can see very fine “cobwebs” it could be a red spider mite infestation.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The usual problems that make house plants drop leaves are too much or too little water, too much or too little light, temperature too warm or too cold, not enough humidity, exposure to cold draughts. If all those things are right, then I'm stumped. It does look as if there's some damage to the bark on the stems, but it doesn't look deep so I don't think that's likely to be the problem.
    I haven't grown that particular plant but according to Mr. Google (eg https://www.houseofplants.co.uk/plants/pachira-aquatica_plaited-plant_96935.html) it needs to be kept wetter than most houseplants over the summer (the clue's in the name - Pachira aquatica), so that's something to remember for next summer.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • reathomsonreathomson Posts: 4
    Thank you guys. I don’t think it’s going to see next summer at this rate 😔 x
  • reathomsonreathomson Posts: 4
    Thank you guys. I eventually bit the bullet and re-potted. I wanted to check the roots in case there was rot I could try and stop in it’s tracks. The soil was too moist but luckily the roots looked healthy. I used a more appropriate soil and smaller pot. It looked like it had stopped its decline but it’s started again. One branch is a shrivelled stick, one has lost all its leaves and stalks and it now looking very ill and another has started with yellow leaves so I think it’s going the same way 😞 
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