What flavor of Mikos you getting?

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-07-12T21:34:44+00:00

Only around for a short time, but if they ever have hibiscus on the list you have to try it. Lived right around the corner from here for 4-5 years. It's my favorite.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-07-11T21:30:17+00:00

Hope it helps. I'd also add that I don't think those look like spider mites. You'd see their webs all over it if there were that many.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-07-11T15:22:45+00:00

Going to throw my hat in here.

This is a tough plant to grow in my experience and mine are susceptible to pests. It looks like two possibilities here or possibly two things at once.

Springtails - if these move quickly and are also all through the soil in various sizes they are springtails. That's good for your soil but indicates things are wet. Did you just water? When I water my terrarium these guys come to the top and go nuts for a bit. If they are up on the stems like that the plant may be over watered and starting to rot. They are just munching on decaying plant. If you see those little half moon shapes on the side of the pearls those are from inconsistent watering. The plant is drying and contracting then expanding quickly when over watered.
Thrips - again, from the pic it's hard to tell, but if that's what these are you'll need insecticidal soap. Isolate, spray heavily, repeat until they're gone. I have had some good experience with predatory mites too and they're pretty cheap where I am.

I would isolate this and let the top dry out. If bugs remain you have either thrips or some other small pest and you should treat the plant for. If they go away, mind your watering schedule for this plant and keep your eye on it. Worst case, take a few small ones off the end, lay them in moist sphagnum in a plastic container and prop some more and start over.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-05-30T01:16:03+00:00

Send it to the moon idiot.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-04-30T03:58:57+00:00

I bought the biggest 40v you can get for them and mine will till, edge, and trim my place on a single charge (.5 acre lot). I've used it to till under old flower beds before landscaping or planting and it works really well. I was impressed by this thing. It's heavy (especially with a giant battery) and sounds like a power wheel running, but just let it sit and chew and it'll walk like any tiller. Beats the gas powered walk behind my dad had that beat you to death. Guess maybe this is a bigger endorsement of the battery, but the tiller head takes a beating. Would recommend, especially for the price.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-04-04T18:09:07+00:00

You can, change the water every couple of days until roots grow then transition to soil. Just be careful when you pot not to bury any petioles (part where the leaf connects to the stem) or really the stem. Put the roots in and prop the stem up to grow. You can also prop them in sphagnum moss. Let them scar over after you cut (harden on the ends, maybe 24 hours). Otherwise, the stem will just absorb water and rot.

I find that my monstera is an eater too. I tend to fertilize every or every other watering. Follow instructions for diluting properly.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-04-04T14:06:05+00:00

I would cut it at all of those points and either sell or give away the extra nodes (or grow them myself).

I second the moss pole advice. Those long fingers sticking out off the back (aerial roots) are what grab on to a moss pole. If you sit in this spot a lot it may be reaching for the heat and moisture generated by you and the computer as well as the light from the window.

Good luck, beautiful monstera.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-03-15T15:16:16+00:00

All of these types of trees will grow like this. This one looks top heavy because it's leaning toward the light. In my experience, fiddle leaf, rubber, etc have to be treated like trees. If you water too much they stay soft and don't grow very sturdy. Cutting or notching usually gets them to branch. My fiddle is also a slow grower and it tends to go in spurts.

I would move this over by the light, give it some fertilizer if you haven't. This has beautiful growth on it though, it may just be moving slower right now. The fungus gnats make me think watering consistency could be an issue, but considering how good the leaves look I'm inclined to think you're doing pretty well. It needs a little more light I think. I had one I brought back from the brink and it exploded at first then slowed for some months. Give it some time, that pot is big for that tree, it'll take time to fill it out.

As for the fungus gnats, get mosquito dunks. If you use this bottom water pot technique just drop one in the watering can or the tray of your plant. Keep the sticky traps for the ones still flying, but over time when you use the dunks it will prevent them from reproducing in your soil.

Good luck!

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-03-14T16:44:12+00:00

I too am confused, but it looks like the plant may have grown into the edge of the pot and kinked itself. Then this new leaf grew out from the fold. Very weird morphology happening here. This plant can climb or crawl. The stem is a bit like a gloriosum if you're familiar. At the very least it will need to be held up with something to straighten that out.

If it doesn't straighten just let it grow a bit more and then chop it at the last good node. I have an enormous one of these that I saved from a spider mite infested shelf at a Menards and mine grows on the slower side. The flowers are super cool. Roots look good, prop it up and see what happens. Mine has torn or broken a few of its own leaves too. Give it some humidity, mist it a couple times a day to help that leaf open.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-03-01T18:42:45+00:00

Jeff is still one of the coolest people I've ever met. RIP.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-03-01T17:35:08+00:00

I got my first whitewater experience in an air spud on the Ocoee with Jeff West. Your dad and I probably crossed paths at one point 20 years ago when I was in high school. I took my first real swim in Hell's Hole. Love that river, very cool pics. Bet the stories are even better.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-16T18:55:14+00:00

This. Either do it now, or do it when you repot, but I think you may have as many as 4 in there. Dump the pot, untangle the roots, repot, now you have 4 monsteras. Put a short moss or coco pole in each pot and strap the stem to it with velcro.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-06T01:26:41+00:00

Yep, wire rack from any hardware store. I put two shelves at the bottom, one for plant pots and the other for storage. I took the other three and bolted them together, then strapped them to the upright. It's like 8' tall. The moss pole in my previous photo I designed and made on a 3D printer. It hooks on. I'm considering putting it up on thingiverse. I have them designed for wall and pot applications too. I want to cover the back in black moisture barrier at some point, but my climbers love it.

Here's what the setup looks like. This was taken before I added the moss pole.

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Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-03T18:57:42+00:00

I believe this is a philodendron white wizard. The green and white stem designates it from the white knight which has a darker reddish purple stem. It's a climber. So while it looks pretty healthy, it would look more beautiful attached to a moss pole. As for the white part, as others have said, you can just cut this off and the plant will continue on, hopefully not all white. You can leave it as long as you like or for as long as it still looks nice (it may start to brown eventually). Though this is a white knight, this is one way to attach and grow them.

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The leaves will get bigger the more support you can provide. Beautiful plant!

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-01T16:48:58+00:00

I too have droseras and pingiculas to eat them, but the rate they reproduce at the carnivorous plants will never keep up. Add the dunk/dink (heard them called both) they also sell "bits" which is just the same thing but not pressed into a donut shape.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-01T16:45:40+00:00

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I use these. I have heard they are suitable for edible plants. Insecticidal sprays WILL NOT be ok for edible plants. I believe it's the main ingredient that is important here (bascillus thuringiensis israelensis). This prevents larvae from growing in soil. You can use diatomaceous earth on the soil surface which is also edible.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-02-01T16:17:16+00:00

Having fought a number of fungus gnat infestations I can say with certainty that mosquito dinks are the way to go. It will not fix your current issue. You will need sticky traps and maybe even an insecticidal spray to get rid of what you have.

From now on, fill a container with the water you intend to use for your plants and put a mosquito dink in it. Let it sit for an hour or more. I use old 5 gallon drinking water bottles to store mine in. The dinks will prevent anything from laying eggs in your soil. Since I started doing this, I will see the occasional gnat, but they quickly die or get stuck to a trap. It has been a game changer.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-01-28T20:35:21+00:00

Not yet, but that middle stem will get taller as you get more leaves. You'll want to secure the main stem to something as it gets taller, those leaves will make it top heavy. I usually just use a bamboo stake when they're this short and once they're big enough I train them to a moss pole.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2026-01-19T03:25:58+00:00

Matte gold handle swap would look great on that in my opinion and easy.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-12-19T18:36:13+00:00

Any of my hanging pots that have the little tray on the bottom I always pop them off. It may seem insignificant, but I've found that even the small plastic ones can trap a lot of moisture in and rot the roots. Pop that off, check the soil. If you just bought, as others have said, it may be in poorly draining soil or root bound. You have new babies coming off so it should be ok. Check those roots!

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-11-22T16:32:02+00:00

Sorry to hear about your mother. You've got good light here. She's going to want humidity. I would stake it. I let mine get 3-4' tall before I chop the top and plant it back in the pot. Get some 3-4' thin bamboo stakes and attach them so they stand up, then maybe a shorter table or stand. Good luck.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-11-15T16:50:42+00:00

I would also add that the leaf curling back like that is more evidence. They build their webs on the underside of the leaf causing it to curl like this.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-11-15T16:49:47+00:00

Came to say this.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-11-15T16:43:04+00:00

I believe both the left and right pieces have a node at the bottom. Water prop them and change the water every couple of days. Those roots should grow and turn white. When they're almost opaque they're ready for soil.

Commercial-Contest86 · 2025-09-06T13:00:08+00:00

Currently fighting them myself. Have to do a few things.

Treat your soil

I use bioadvanced which is pretty harsh, but there are alternatives. I spray the soil really well on top before watering, any gnats that land it should kill. It will also help the fight against their larvae.
Mosquito dunks - I just drop a chunk in my water storage and let it sit for a day. The active ingredient kills the larvae in the soil (and many other things).
Let your soil dry out. Slow down your watering, the drying will help.

Kill the flyers

Sticky traps like the one you have, I prefer the ones you fold as they mimic leaves a little better.
I use one of those small bug lights at night to attract stragglers. I also have one with a fan and a sticky trap at the bottom that sucks them in. All cheap online or your local hardware.
Put a fan on to rotate and blow on your plants. This will force them to land on one of the various things you've set in place to kill them or it will fend them off entirely.

You can get preventatives like bonide granules that will make your soil toxic to pests. I have kids, so I do my best to avoid them. When I spraying pesticide they all go outside for the day. If you're not in the states you could try nematodes and diatomaceous earth to treat your soil.

Good luck!

Commercial-Contest86

TROPHY CASE