Hello, I find myself at a loss for how to care for my two albizia julibrissin seedlings. They are from seed, started about 2 months ago. About a month ago I switched them from regular potting soil to a soilless peat-based mix (sunshine #4). I don't think I overwater, I wait until the top layer is dry to add water. Whenever I water them I add the recommended amount of fertilizer drops to be added with every watering (schultz 10-15-10). They are in a window that gets all-day direct light, with some other plants that are thriving there. The problem is that some of the older leaves have been falling off. Here is the progression: First some of the green pigment on the edges of the leaves was turning yellow/whitish (these leaves had previously been in tip-top shape). Later these same leaf edges dried up and now they have started falling off. The new growth is doing well, and some of the first few leaves the seedlings have are unaffected.. (so only the middle section of leaves). I have tried to change their location to get less direct light, but they have started leaning since, which to me indicates the amount of light must have been alright before, and the leaves are not simply getting burned from sun? Why would the three or so sets of leaves be wilting when the first two sets (oldest) and the last three (youngest) look perfectly healthy?
I noticed those on the photo before uploading and made sure to check the plant--they were water droplets, they just look strange because of the out-of-focus phone camera. You do bring a good point about the diseases though, I just kind of assumed I'd be more or less immune living on the 24th floor of a building. Now that I think about it there have been some orangey clumps along the stem which could theoretically be scale disease or something I have not yet heard of.. they seemed pretty evenly spaced out so I did not think much of them but it's worth a closer look.
Yep but I believe the term disease includes parasitic colonizations (insects included). Here are a couple pictures of the stems... not sure if this is normal or not... maybe someone has experience looking at something like this. http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=8a931d0 http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=d2ee1b0
