HELP - repotting Schefflera arboricola 'Variegata'

14 years ago

I know my plant is in desperate need of repotting. I've repotted many plants, so don't need specific help in that area.

But here's the deal. It was a 'found' plant and has been in same pot for over a year now. It did not grow into tree-form, instead, there is one trunk about 4" out of dirt, at which point it branches off into 2 other main branches and then a 3rd one immediately branched off one of those.

Here's what confuses me. Where that 'fork' is (about 6" above soil) there are quite a few very established roots growing off the 'fork' and down into the dirt.

My question is - are exposed roots normal for this plant? If I were to try and cover them, I'd have to add about 6" of soil to the top of the plant which I did not think was a good idea.

So far this plant has grown quite well, even being rootbound and with these exposed roots.

Thanks so much,

Bonnie aka brit5467

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Comments (12)

gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
Please post a picture. You are right probably not a good idea to cover the roots especially if growing like that for a year. It would become smothered.
Now is not the time of year for a repot...wait a few months.
brit5467
Original Author
14 years ago
Wish I could post pic. Will try when I have daylight, but only have phone camera right now and it takes crappy pics so will have to wait for window daylight.

Thought that about the smothering.

Question - why not repot NOW versus wait a few months?

Probably a good idea, since the shock of bringing it in, then thinking it had drowned in rain & neglecting to water, then loosing LOTS of leaves from both being too dry and shock and now JUST getting back to being happy is reason enough but -- just curious??? : )

It needs it so badly. One root had actually either broke thru the rotten plastic planter or found its way thru a crack in it. You would not believe the story behind this poor forelorn tossed away plant....I'm so happy I could rescue it.

bonnie aka brit5467
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Don't know. The reason I asked about the mass is to try to determine if the tree with better vitality had a lot more foliage to provide the energy for new buds. I asked about the timing of the pruning because removing a significant amount of foliage late in the growing season or in winter leaves a plant at a considerable disadvantage and can weaken it noticeably. If the tree-like plant had less foliage than the bushy plant, and you were watering/fertilizing them at the same time, it's possible that the tree with less foliage was getting over-watered or was/is dealing with a high level of salts in the soil. Sometimes there are problematic issues so commonly coupled with certain cultural conditions that you can suggest what the problems might be with a fair amount of expectation that the diagnosis is accurate, based on odds alone; but sometimes things are more obscure and being caused by some detail going unnoticed, which I suspect is the case. Now that summer is almost here, you should be able to move them outdoors where you can give them some sun and be sure they dry down considerably before you water. When you do water, you can saturate and flush the soil thoroughly each time. Scheffs respond very well to half the suggested strength solution of 3:1:2 ratio fertilizers (like 24-8-16, 12-4-8, or 9-3-6) every 2 weeks or so when growing well. You probably already know the story about soil, so I'll just say that a well-aerated mix that is stable/durable can ease a lot of heartache and noticeably improve vitality, as well as the margin for grower error. Al
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One clue 'might ' be that several roots are trying to escape from the bottom drainage holes. I say 'might ' because it's not a sure thing by any means. The best way is to simply slip the plant gently out of the container so that the root ball can be examined. Contrary to what some people seem to think, taking a plant from its container for minute does no harm whatsoever to the plant. I inspect plant roots before purchasing if I have any question or concerns. Always for any woody nursery plant. A root bound plant will have a mass of encircling roots or the root volume will greatly exceed the soil volume.
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If the plant doesn't wilt, you're not under-watering. I believe what you're seeing is a drought response caused by over-watering, or a high level of dissolved solids (salts from fertilizer solution and/or tapwater). Obviously there is no way for water or salts to escape the pot, and that always ends in disappointment for the grower. I would get a tall collection saucer. Drill or melt a hole through the sidewall of the pot AT the pot bottom. It's important that you remove at least a little of the inside bottom of the pot so there is no reservoir at the bottom of the pot to collect water. The pot should not sit on the bottom of the collection saucer as this allows a pathway by which the effluent flushed from the pot when you water can make it's way back into the soil. Something similar to what you see here. ^^^ I used a shallow collection saucer for a better view. There are some other tricks you can use to make your pot drain better, too. You could tip the pot after watering, which forces a lot of excess water from the pot. In the image below, the shaded area is saturated soil. Compare B to A for an idea of how much difference tipping the pot makes. You might also consider learning about how to use ballast in the bottom of the pot. Image D shows an overturned pot used very effectively as ballast. There's lots more to explore, but I don't know how interested you are, so I'll wait on questions or a response. FWIW - the rocks keeping your cat out of the pot should not be against the trunk. As the trunk thickens, it will grow around the rock. IOW, the trunk will thicken everywhere except where the rock is touching it. It wouldn't take long for sap and nutrients moving downward to roots immediately under where the rock is applying pressure to be affected. I applaud the plan to repot - good idea. Soil choice very very often makes the difference between success and bad news. Two things you might consider asap are flushing the soil, and start using a "tell" to "tell" you when it's time to water. I'll leave some info I wrote about using a tell and flushing the soil. Before you move ahead with pruning, maybe we could discuss some options? Using a 'tell' Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support good root health, which is a prerequisite to a healthy plant. Watering in small sips leads to a build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor. In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. 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Hello all, I've been following the house plants forum for a while now and learned a lot already from my visits, but now I have an actual issue with one of my plants, so here's my first post :) I've had this Schefflera Arboricola Variegata for a while now, I believe a year or two, maybe three. I've repotted it last summer into a terracotta pot using a gritty type mix of pine bark, pumice, seramis (fired clay granulate) and lava rock. It's been doing quite well and has been pushing new growth, especially during spring, but throughout the winter as well. Here is a picture of the current soil: It did have some bugs (thrips, I believe) some months ago, which I treated with what I think was a pyrethrin based spray. I've not recently seen any bugs on it, so the treatment appears to have worked. The leaves are still quite shiny and sticky, though, since the treatment... The plant receives quite a bit of light. I live in The Netherlands and it is standing right up against a southern exposed window which receives full sun in the morning, but the sun gets blocked during the afternoon by part of our house, so it's in full shade from roughly 1PM onwards. I water the plant every few days, maybe twice a week. I water until a significant amount of water flows through the drainage hole. I dispose of the drained water after a few minutes, so it doesn't sit in a pool of water for very long. I fertilize using a synthetic fertilizer (NPK 8-3-7) at half strength. I've not been too consistent with my timing w.r.t. fertilization. I'd say I fertilize maybe every 3rd or 4th watering? The issue I have now is that quite a few leaves are turning yellow and being shed. These are mostly lower/older leaves, but some of the younger ones as well. Her is a picture of some of the dropped leaves: One thing I noticed is that the lower leaves appear to have started to point downwards more and more. I have to say I'm not quite sure if this is new though...This picture show it quite well: To be honest, I'm not quite sure if this is an actual problem, or just part of the normal life cycle of the Schefflera, but the number of dropped leaves is significant (new ones each day). Hopefully someone here has some ideas and/or tips? Any help would be appreciatedand I'd be happy to provide additional information, of course :) Best regards, Leander Some additional bonus pictures:
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gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
It's just not the right time of year to repot it. In you area you can probably it late March or April.
Give it a chance to recover from the shock you say it went thru. Not good to repot after all that either.
When you do several things to it at the same time you don't always know what caused it to get better.
You probably shouldn't fertilize it either.
The container probably did crack from the pressure...I've seen that happen.
Sounds like it is on the road to recovery.
brit5467
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks so much !! When you say wait until March or April, do you still mean even if he's inside? I just hate to see him struggling in his tiny pot. You are right, tho, about all the stress he's been thru. I just thought maybe he'd say "OH, THANK GOD....somebody's letting me breath!!"

I have to tell you the story. He was found beside the road by friend. Laying on his side. So long that he'd started growing upwards towards the sun. So picture once you uprighted him, he was growing sideways.

My friend put him outside, in dappled sunlight, maybe for one summer, maybe two (don't remember) and he just flourished. In fact, originally he put him out in afternoon western DIRECT sun and I kept saying he'd get sunburned, but he never did. He just got happy.

However, my friend was not of the notion that you need to rotate plants so this guy never did get a chance to try and grow properly. My friend died this past May and so this guy kinda got forgotten and neglected and just survived on outdoor rain, etc. until winter came. At which time, I could not let him die and had to bring him in.

He's gigantic in circumference, due to his growth pattern (trying to find the sun). I really have no room for him and am almost considering donating him to a library or somewhere he can get lots of sun and I can go take care of him weekly. But I just LOVE him for his resilence and can't part with him !!

Sorry to get so mushy about 'just' a plant. But I just can't belive this guy went thru so much and still grew so magnificantly (until I brought him in and almost killed him from lack of water). He's grown amazingly, just sitting outside all this time, and even in one of those pots with the attached bottoms that holds in water (can be bad in houseplants) but I think helped during dry spells outdoors.

bonnie aka brit5467
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
I didn't think you can put it outside until April anyway...or can you? It will respond better if you can wait, but have to see the condition of it first. It just could be demanding it now...
If you can take more than one picture to show us everything that would be great.
Plants are like children to some of us. My scheff is from my grandmothers funeral so I understand. It has several offspring from cuttings. So of course you have to keep him in memory of your friend.
I wonder if it fell off of a delivery truck...lucky for him and you.
Scheffs do like bright light and they do reach or lean to it. Even here in southern CA inside mine reachs for the light and I turn it. They are really hardy and can tolerate abuse or neglect more than others. They will get sunburn but perhaps it didn't because it grew up on the side of the road and was adapted to it.
When you post the pics tomorrow let us know what size pot, how tall etc. Sometimes it's hard to tell for sure.
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
Oh and one more thing, if you have the time, search this forum for scheffs, plenty of other threads on them with good advice.
brit5467
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry...I can see where some of the confusion came from. I don't want to put it outside after repotting. I have to 'overwinter' it in the house from now until at least, like you said, April. Maybe March, depending on our weather this Spring/Summer (and even sometimes Feb will have 60Âº days).

We have crazy weather where the outside is warmer than the house in 'winter' so I'll sometimes take them all out for a good boost of sun. But for regular outdoor living....I wouldn't chance it until probably April like you said.

I was just wondering, after he settles down from the 'culture shock' (which I think is about now) doing the repotting indoors?

But I guess, like you said, as long as he was happy before all this temp, environment, etc. shock then there's no rush to repot. Better to wait until he's back outside in his natural environment, huh?

That's really nice about saving the one from your grandmum's funeral. You'll have to teach me about cuttings. I know I had a plant from my dad's funeral and it immediately bit the dust (coming from a perfect/non-perfect florist/nursery environment) and I took it back, got another one....it bit the dust, too.

Ooop...want to send this but have to go...be right back...
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
That's great that you can put it outside for a few hours when warm. He'll appreciate that.
Doesn't matter where you do the repot...less mess outside though unless its below 50. But it shouldn't take that long anyway.
brit5467
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry hadda run off like that.....Moby was playing (don't know if you know him, but has sentimental value.... : )

As far as falling off a truck, I doubt it. It's in a pot like anyone would repot a plant in. Has one of those 'connected' bottoms so water sits in it unless you tip it sideways. Friend said it just looked like someone just threw it out in front of their house and I can't imagine why no one grabbed it up before him. Maybe like an eviction situation?

I never really got details. Just know I know plants and this poor guy had been laying out there for at least a month. That's how HARD he'd tried to grow upright. He was downright 90Âº angled up to the sun from his pot. Friend did good taking care of him, getting him growing right, except for turning after he'd righted himself.

Like I said, we were of two minds on that one. Friend grew up on a farm so I imagine he was used to only natural growth. I tried to teach him about consistently rotating plants, but to no avail.

Probably why this guy STILL looks so funky. But that's part of his charm. I will definitely try to take pics outdoors tomorrow. We're calling for low 50's, which is really GREAT for our time of year (VA east coast, near Va. Beach). I see we're on opposite coasts. But I know our weather is MUCH different.

In fact, if you don't mind me asking a non-plant related question.....why is it when I watch TV shows filmed on the CA coast that one person has on a sweater and long pants yet another has on a tank top and shorts? I mean, we have strange weather here where one day you wear shorts and flip-flops and the next you need a sweatshirt. But (and I know it's TV) from what I can see, people in your area have all kinds of different clothing on all on the same day???

Plus, I see shows with real estate with the homes with no screens in the windows? Don't you have bugs? We have nasty mosquitoes, being so close to swamp lands and wet lands (which I guess you don't have??)

If this is too "off topic" feel free to email me in detail. This has been a question I have been wanting to ask for soooo long now and never knew where to ask it. Didn't want to Google.....ha ha ha.

Bonnie aka brit5467
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
Someone could have thrown the plant out as maybe it had bugs which then left it before you got it.

Oh who knows what the TV industry does and why they do it.
But yeah the temps can change easily 30+ degrees from morning to midday to evening. Some people here think 50 is cold. Near the ocean the breeze can be cold sometimes. IN the desert at night it gets cold and freezing in the winter at night.

Yes we have mosquitos and bugs but not like the east coast for sure. Depends on where in the state though. When I drive thru the mtns front of my car gets lots of bugs.
Some people may remove the screens as they never open their windows. Those shows may remove them so it looks better on tv.
brit5467
Original Author
14 years ago
Yeah....I know it's TV and all that bull. I just wondered if the temp was that different -- if it was so 'different' is the only word I can come up with -- that one person needs a jacket yet another had a bathing suit top on. Guess it has a lot to do with lack of humidity, which we have a HELLUVA lot of here. It's horrible.

I forget that you have desert out there. Naive Easterner like me (not all, I'm sure.... : ) imagine Cali as being this wonderful land of coast and sun and surf with a couple hours drive to snow ski.

But in reality, I realize your state is almost larger than most of the mid-Atlantic coast :) and must have a multitude of climates.

Well, G'nite..I'm off to watch an old Robert Mitchum movie.

And THANKS !!
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
14 years ago
I LOL at your comment about wonderful land...high priced land...gotta pay for that sunshine. Yes the Jan 1 parade is usually a chamber of commerce day, but it's not like that all the time. We have a little bit of everything here due to the multitude of climates and terrain as you stated. And yes people do play in the snow and go to beach on the same day. I've seen people with jackets on and I'll be in a t-shirt.
Next week you will probably hear about CA on the news...flooding, mudslides etc. El Nino is coming.

HELP - repotting Schefflera arboricola 'Variegata'

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HELP - repotting Schefflera arboricola 'Variegata'

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