Q.Houseplant
I have a schefflera houseplant and it gets a sticky substance on the leaves and on my floor it drips or sprays something sticky. What is it and can I get rid of it? My plant is big and nice and I hate to put it in the trash. I have cleaned all the leaves with dawn and waner but in a few weeks it is back.
Look for scale insects along the stem and on the leaves. That is the number one problem with many houseplant species. If scale is not the problem, you may have spider mites feeding on the leaf undersides. Look for little webbing on the leaf edges. Mist the foliage with distilled water at least three or four times a week. Neem oil is aso effective. If this doesn't stop the sticky dripping, you may need to consider getting rid of it. In the meantime, an old sheet or tablecloth under the leaves to protect your floor.
For help in dealing with these pests, here are some articles that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/scale-bug-how-to-control-plant-scale.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/spider-mite-detection-and-spider-mite-natural-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/pests/neem-oil-uses.htm
