Why is the money tree dropping leaves? Causes and traditions explained in one article

Yesterday I posted an article on how to propagate umbrella plants (Schefflera arboricola) from cuttings. After reading it, a fellow gardener left Chengcheng a message saying that the umbrella plant they are growing has recently started dropping leaves, and asking Chengcheng what the cause is?

Chengcheng tells everyone: if an umbrella plant starts dropping leaves, there is only one cause, and the problem lies in watering!

1. Overwatering

I have told you before that although the umbrella plant likes water, you must absolutely not water it too frequently. If you water too frequently and the potting soil stays wet for a long time, it will cause the roots to lack oxygen. Once the roots lack oxygen, at best you get yellow leaves and leaf drop, and at worst the roots rot!

2. Underwatering

Many fellow gardeners are afraid that watering the umbrella plant too much will rot its roots, so they usually water it as little as possible. Sometimes the potting soil is clearly bone dry and they still do not water it. This is going too far in the opposite direction: when it is short of water and you still do not water it, it will definitely grow very slowly, and sometimes even if it does grow a new leaf, the leaf is small and yellow, and the old leaves drop off at the slightest touch!

There is only this one cause of the umbrella plant dropping leaves, so when we usually water the umbrella plant, we must remember "water thoroughly only when completely dry". As long as you water according to this principle, it will neither rot its roots nor grow slowly from lack of water!

In addition, many fellow gardeners grow umbrella plants in garden soil mixed with river sand. This kind of soil is quite good for growing plants, but over time it tends to become compacted. Once the soil is compacted, its root system cannot spread out, and you get slow growth, no new leaves and no new shoots. So if you are a gardener growing umbrella plants in garden soil mixed with river sand, then take advantage of the crisp autumn weather right now and repot it with fresh soil, even if the new soil is still garden soil mixed with river sand!

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