---
title: "What the heck… so this plant hated me at first and didn’t do anything…"
description: "What the heck… so this plant hated me at first and didn’t do anything for like a year. Then she started putting out leaves and big ones, doing great! She even…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/8YJLrBkOSo27kyNSisgUpA/MMSxlJZ2GeeLfC70yZouMN"
community: "Alocasia Aficionados"
author: "Ecunningham"
published: "2025-02-25T00:38:43.414095Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/a6QwuMGmK_Tf7p6hQLeq-kT2KS4ODWOH1pF-3OhnNWY/p2PxAtjWSTOWv8bqPMvYMQ.webp?size=large"
---

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# What the heck… so this plant hated me at first and didn’t do anything…

_Posted by Ecunningham on 2025-02-25_

What the heck… so this plant hated me at first and didn’t do anything for like a year. Then she started putting out leaves and big ones, doing great! She even flowered, I cut them off after they died back, which just also happened to be right before she started looking sad. Then we got some spider mites (I think and I think I caught them quickly). So I treated with insecticidal soap this last week, moved her to a bigger pot about 4 days ago because I thought the yellowing limp leaf was a sign of root rot. (Roots are fine). We’ve had spider mites before and have never done this, usually I rinse and treat once and she is fine. First picture taken on 2/13 with the flowers. Second picture taken today. Did I make her mad? 🤦🏻‍♀️

![Attachment 1 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/a6QwuMGmK_Tf7p6hQLeq-kT2KS4ODWOH1pF-3OhnNWY/p2PxAtjWSTOWv8bqPMvYMQ.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/a6QwuMGmK_Tf7p6hQLeq-kT2KS4ODWOH1pF-3OhnNWY/GS5oklh5TBe8_SZD3_D7gA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 3 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/a6QwuMGmK_Tf7p6hQLeq-kT2KS4ODWOH1pF-3OhnNWY/liQs8dJ1R0mnzwWQr8_YsA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 4 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/a6QwuMGmK_Tf7p6hQLeq-kT2KS4ODWOH1pF-3OhnNWY/u2gPCDIzQiiU9ylRjwevdQ.webp?size=large)

## 4 comments

### Josie commented on 2025-02-25

Oh dear. I treat my spider mites with Castile soap and water spray and I also water my plants with it and I do it several times for a couple weeks. My alocasia nearly died because of spider mites, the Polly’s are especially prone to them.

### Wolfen 🐺 commented on 2025-02-25

Spider mite life cycle can be 45+ days. So you'd need to continually treat, not just once. This is probably a babies hatching out, they are laid in the leaves. I'd remove the really bad leaf, and throw it in the trash outside, to help dampen the infestation

#### Ecunningham replied on 2025-02-25

I did not realize they laid the eggs in the leaves.. as I mentioned before one treatment and then no other signs for months.. (or maybe I have a really bad concept of time 🤦🏻‍♀️) Either way it’s never done this to me after I’ve seen them. Probably should have kept treating, that’s my fault for having high hopes. 🤣

#### Wolfen 🐺 replied on 2025-02-25

A lot of times once you get rid of that first round of adults, you really need a loupe or portable microscope to see anything until the next round get large enough, or webbing starts to be made. Dealing with spider mites is the worst!

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