Schefflera Arboricola gurus HELP!!!

[showjet95]

These freaking things are driving me crazy! Ive probably had to replace 10 of them in the last 6 months.
I keep most of my chameleons in fully planted exo-terra glass terrariums. They get misted once or twice a day but, it doesnt make the soil wet. I keep these enclosures with a 2-3" bottom layer of hydroton (clay) balls for excess water absorption so there is no stagnant water. On top of that I have a couple of layers of black plastic window screen to keep them soil from mixing with the balls, and on top I have a 4" layer of top soil.
What I have been doing is when I buy the scheffleras I take them out of their pots and get most of the soil off so they will be much easier to plant and place exactly where I want them in the soil inside the tanks. I water them once a week or once every 8-9 days but not heavily. Within a month or less the leaves are turning brown with spots, falling off and the base of the plant is turning brown. I know this is most likely due to the roots being constantly damp which I have felt into the soil and they are not.
Also, I have many screen enclosures outdoors which get heavily misted throughout the day and the soil in their pots is almost always wet but those thrive and do fine.
Im stumped and annoyed and its stressing me out having to buy and re do these tanks all the time.

Any words of wisdom from someone that KNOWS these plants very well?

TIA!!!

 

[mbondy]

So many people seem to have problems with these plants, I don't have any issues and love them and so do my chams. I mist heavily as both my guys require lots of water and both my plants strive, I have to trim them as the stems grow so high in such a short period of time. The plants are pretty much always wet.

My ficus is dieing or dead at the moment from too much water, no issues with the Schleffera, I don't know what the answer is. Plants are a pain in the ass!

 

[showjet95]

even the ones that look good and have been doing ok in the cages since I set them up havent grown an inc in heihgt. Hmmm, I want a secret remedy

 

[justjumpit621]

i have mine in pots. They are thriving. I mist them but only water them once a week if that.

 

[Thezillaman21]

3 plants you cant fail with as long as the sun hits your cage for an hr a day are begonia hybrid, pothos(grows like crazy if u just water it +mist), dwarf umbrella plant (needs sun to grow but wont die if it gets alittle a day and alot of water). idk what to say about your plant no experience there sorry.

 

[Cainschams]

What type of light are you using for the plants?

 

[tearass]

They only do well if you have the uvb light on

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

i have all live in all my cages... and i have only lost 2 plants... the shefflera and believe it or not, a pothos!!
everything else thrives, so i feel your pain and frustration!!
try a draecena, lots of kinds and a little hardier
anne

 

[pssh]

It might be easier and cheaper if you root your own clippings in the tank. Cut off a branch with a few leaves growing off of it, and plant the plant into the enclosure making sure there is at least one "notch" in the ground. Using a rooting hormone helps a ton!

Using the right soil and a little compost helps a lot too.

 

[bigcappa]

I never have any issues, but I know a few people who do. They usually have a few different plants and rotate the a month or so at a time. The attend to the others outside and once they started doing this all of their plants lasted for them. Good luck if you find a good answer to this let us know!

 

[ShortStack]

Sounds like the root system isn't able to get big enough. Or that the roots reach the hydroton balls and the balls suck the moisture right out of the plant.

 

[showjet95]

I use repti glo 5.0 and a 6500k bulb. Leaves just continually fall off. They dont get any natural sun and are watered once a week and cages are misted twice daily.
Also, there is a triple thick layer of plastic window screen that seperates the hydroton balls from the soil so the roots dont get into the hydroton. The base layer of soil is miracle gro potting soil with an inch top layer of organic potting soil in case a cham ingests any.