My Bloodleaf is dying

[LeoCharlieZoey]

Hi everyone,
I'm TOTALLY new to gardening. I got about 7 houseplants that were all okay for cats (I have three curious cats!). None of them except one is doing very well. I think the biggest problem is that I do not have any places in the house that provide good sunlight.

But the one in particular that I'm most worried about is my Bloodleaf. It's shrivled and withering away, the leaves look really bad too. I saw little house gnats on it, but I read around the internet and it looks like those shouldn't kill the plant, but are more of a nuisance.

I also purchased a plant light and I've been shining it on there for about 5 hours a day now for two days, but I feel like the plant is getting worse.

Any suggestions? I can answer any questions you have and even post a picture later if this forum allows me to.. I just don't want my cute plant to die!

Also, just to add, even though the houseplants are not poisonous to cats I've still put them up high, so I know my cats are not chewing them so that's not the problem...

 

[so lucky]

Welcome, LeoCharlieZoey. Does your bloodleaf have a tag with the botanical name on it? I am not familiar with a houseplant called bloodleaf. I think lotsa times a grower will just "invent" a name that is easier to remember than the botanical name, but it doesn't help you when you want to look up info. Also, the little gnats are possibly a clue that the soil is too damp and getting stagnant. If you have some regular flourescent shop or utility lights you can put the plants under--up close to--that will provide a substitute for a bright indirect natural light. If you don't have a tag, after you have posted at least 10 posts, you can post a picture of your plant. That will be easier to help you with.

 

[LeoCharlieZoey]

Yes the tag said Iresine herbstii.

 

[MeggsyGardenGirl]

Yes the tag said Iresine herbstii.

Hi LeoCharlie - Welcome to growing and gardening. I'm guessing that the problem is a combination of too much water and not enough light. This plant likes full sun and it's hard to not love a plant to death by over watering. Happens to me after decades of learning and knowing better. Good luck with it.

 

[897tgigvib]

Welcome LeoCharlieZoey

Those "house gnats", ya know, they could be the bad kind. They develop underground where they nibble root tips.

I think those are your problem after all. They can go through cycles of reproducing and keep working those roots until slowly the languishing plant dies.

 

[LeoCharlieZoey]

thank you everyone for your responses

marshallsymth, what can I do to get rid of them? I've looked for insecticides but I couldn't find any at my local hardware store that were for houseplants...

 

[catjac1975]

To get rid of fungus gnats mix hydrogen peroxide with water 1-4. Water the plant with it and it will kill the larva which is what eats your roots. You can use a sticky fly trap to capture the adults. The adults do not harm anything but they will lay more eggs, thus larva. Make sure it has good drainage.

 

[897tgigvib]

What CatJac says is good!

Also, if you can, and is applicable for some of your plants, you may want to depot them, and thoroughly wash all soil off the roots, and then carefully repot them in freshly cleaned pots. Make sure everything is clean, and the old soil goes into a fire, under a fire, something.

Some houseplants can't take doing this, others enjoy this treatment, most you should not do except as last resort. If you do this desoiling, do it relatively rapidly and careful of the roots, and ensure the entire plant is moist at all times.

Sounds like you have a lot of these gnats. They've been reproducing in cycles. They may have found other nearby hiding places. window runs behind window sills...nearby in your yard or neighbor's yard...Get at them all. So far the gnats are winning.

 

[897tgigvib]

Another thing to look for, on any houseplant actually that's having a hard time, is for spider mites.

Bad spider mite infestations can be a death sentence for a plant. They are real tiny and only young eyes can see them, but they make tiny little cobwebs mainly near leaf nodes at the stem or poorly growing tips. They suck the life out of each cell until the plant dies. Spider mites do not die very easily. for a just starting infestation of them it takes several kinds of poisons. Organic gardeners will try actually every organic trick in the book, one after the other every other day or so. Spider mites thrive when things are dry. But bloodleaf if kept moist can get powdery mildew like coleus.

Hopefully you have no spider mites also! Look for teeny tiny cobwebs. use strong reading glasses and inspect closely. Borrow a 12 year old if necessary to look. takes better than 20 20 to see them.