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How to get rid of powdery mildew on indoor Schefflera?

msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
in Plants
Hi all, I had my baby a month ago. As a result, nobody in the household was keeping an eye on the watering of the houseplants. Luckily they are still alive, but the Schefflera Gold which was thriving previously developed what I think is powdery mildew. I've sprayed the leaves with diluted milk + water, hoping that it can control the spread. Wondering if there is also a way to get rid of the unsightly white spots from the leaves please? Some websites say rub it off but I tried and it didn't come off at all. Thanks in advance for your advice!  :)


Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited September 2023
    It's not mildew.
    It's probably a sap-sucking bug of some kind.
    Have a look on the underside of an affected leaf with a magnifying glass as see if there's anything there.
    The other possibility is oedema which is caused by overwatering and causes leaf cells to burst  - if it's that, you may see small raised blisters on the top or bottom of the leaf.

    Congratulations on your new arrival :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
    Pete.8 said:
    It's not mildew.
    It's probably a sap-sucking bug of some kind.
    Have a look on the underside of an affected leaf with a magnifying glass as see if there's anything there.
    The other possibility is oedema which is caused by overwatering and causes leaf cells to burst  - if it's that, you may see small raised blisters on the top or bottom of the leaf.

    Congratulations on your new arrival :)
    Thanks a lot  :) Looked it up using my plant ID app and it's telling me that it's thrips indeed.... I'll probably ask my partner to take the plant outdoor and spray it with a hose to see if it can get rid of them. Or any other suggested treatment please?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Yes that's the most likely reason - they're buggers to actually see though as they move quickly and are small.
    If you have any double-sided sticky tape you could put a couple of strips across the pot top and give the leaves a shake, some may fall onto the tape - then you can confirm.

    My thyme in the garden always has them

    I don't know of any treatment as I'd not spray my thyme as I use it.
    But came across this-
    https://greeneryunlimited.co/blogs/plant-care/how-to-treat-thrips-on-indoor-houseplants

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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