Dad's Brug

Hey guys... hoping to get some advice here. Gretchen had sent me some unreleased crosses to grow and said I could share one with my Dad. I took it over some time ago and it's been doing well for him. He planted it in a container with a potting mix that contained fertilizer supposedly enough for 6 months slow release. The plant initially looked great. Huge with lovely dark leaves. But now it's acting up. He says it is losing color and leaves. Not yellowing but fading. He taught biology for 30 years and is a master gardener so I am not doubting his description. I know it had spider mites at one time since I took it over before I realized mine were infected. He had treated for that.. he sent a pic and i hope it is clear anough for someone to get an idea. several leaves have come off so it looks a bit strange

It looks speckled to me. Before he sent the pic I suggested the plant might need some magnesium and he gave it some epsom salts. He said it has stopped the leaf loss but still looks the same.

So any Ideas??

Spider Mites are a pain. Sometimes the spray makes my leaves look like that.

Slow release fertalizer doesn't quite do the trick with brugs. They are hungary eaters. There are many threads with recommendations, maybe someone will link to one (I don't know how to do that)

I know what I'd do but you REALLY don't want my advice...LOL

hmm.. rip it out and call it a loss? lol

LOL CC!! You got that right. LOL

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Laura, I have never seen such a case of spidermites in my life. At least that is what they look like from here. I wonder if they came back after he sprayed it. Some brugs are such mite magnets. Or the damage is old and the mites gone. You have to see if the new grow is free of them.

I would spray the tops and bottoms with Neem in the early morning or at dusk. I have had great luck with Neem and mites.

And like Linda said, feed it and see if you get new clean growth.

Kell, which brugs do you consider to be spider mite magnets?