dying houseplants!!!

I am having the worse possible week with my plants!!! The only things healthy are the christmas cactus and the pothos!!! The gardenia is losing leaves daily and looking horrible, the ivy is dropping it's leaves hourly and the schefflerra looks like I pruned it to start a tree!!!!! does anyone have any ideas? Help!!! I think I'll be plantless by the end of this week if I don't find the problem...
Thank you
Jude

Sounds like a low humidity problem. Try misting everything a few times a day and check your watering habits.

I will try misting and thank you so much for your input...

Have you checked the plant's for bug's such as Mealy's/spidermites etc.? If not, I strongly suggest you do.

Rachel

My first guess would be a watering issue--leaves dropping like that can happen if you over or under-water (overwatering is more common, but the symptoms are similar). Check by sticking your finger down a few inches into the pot and see how wet it feels. Also I'd check and make sure that they're not sitting right in the path of a heating vent, or in a drafty area near a door that's opened regularly, etc.

It's doubtful that your problems developed in the last week. Low humidity can contribute to problems, but misting is ineffectual, and more likely to cause problems than cure them. The odds favor insects or the combination of low-light and a slow soil impacting root function and the plant's ability to move water to the top of the plant. Slow soils also virtually ensure that soluble salts from tap water and fertilizers will accumulate in the soil, making if even more difficult for the plant to absorb water.

You may find information that is helpful if you follow this link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1065021/

Al

How old are your plants? Have you potted them recently? Moved them recently? What color are the leaves that are falling off? Yellow, brown, black or green?

The plants are not very old. Maybe two months, since we moved into the new house. I do have them in the proper windows for required light, but they are near heating ducts. And believe it or not, yes, they have started this issue in the past week! I did check for bugs immediately and found nothing.
I will try moving them and checking their soil for proper watering. I have always had houseplants, but this is a new home and a new state, so I could be doing something drastically wrong, I guess that is apparent huh?
I'm sure I will run into new issues when I get into my outside flower beds this spring also.
Thank you so much and I will try and resolve this problem.
Jude

OMG if you look back months ago I was crying over the same thing , but mine is (or was) a tree I have a few tiny new leaves at the tip but all branches a dead. This is the 2nd year this happed , they do great outside all summer bring them in for the fall they do great ,even still flower. Than the leaves start turning yellow and falling off. I changed soil because of gnats in soil still didn't do good ,SLOW DEATH.So sad. If you found out what to do PLease get in touch .
Good Luck