--- title: "These spider mites have my schismatoglottis Shelly turned upside…" description: "These spider mites have my schismatoglottis Shelly turned upside down. She went from looking like a millionaire to looking down right homeless, broke and…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/QsSuaaUhl83XZslj51mMH4" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "J. Gibson" published: "2025-10-18T14:31:35.601087Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/xMK9a-RoQA-lBiM83aJHKw.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md) # These spider mites have my schismatoglottis Shelly turned upside… _Posted by J. Gibson on 2025-10-18_ These spider mites have my schismatoglottis Shelly turned upside down. She went from looking like a millionaire to looking down right homeless, broke and abandoned. Is there anything I can do to save her? Or should I just let her go. Help please 🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭 Check her out... ![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/xMK9a-RoQA-lBiM83aJHKw.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/Rxtn9vlzTQapUAw3HCYc0A.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/gwGi9Qh5TZmPvGKIM-P5kA.webp?size=large) ## 11 comments ### 9s commented on 2025-10-18 Cut off all the leaves and spray it down with neem. Let it regrow. Make sure when you cut, hold the plant sideways over the trash can. You don’t want to accidentally shake off more eggs into the soil. #### J. Gibson replied on 2025-10-18 Not sure if you can see but I think they're in the soil too. With all that going on she's still pushing out new leaves. Should i cut and repot with fresh soil? ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/LJr7aiKxTYONngU6pbJypw.webp?size=large) #### Debbie replied on 2025-10-18 I definitely would! Wash her off also then spray down. I make Paige’s sexy plant spray. Good luck. I hate spider mites! ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/mWg7GzRBkkiZxBqA_PHzkNkwfG7JHppP7hQM8YxCPo4/lFiUBdzuTFePBuxuYtNyNg.webp?size=large) #### 9s replied on 2025-10-18 No. Schismatoglottis are very sensitive especially after a shock like cutting off all of the leaves. If you cut off the leaves, you can scoop out the top layer of soil and still spray the second layer with your miticide of choice. You’ll have to continue to spray every 3-5 days to follow their hatch cycles to ensure you get them all. Oils are best for mites. Don’t go for anything that says “systemic insecticide” because they usually won’t work. You need an oil you can spray constantly to smother the mites. ### J. Gibson commented on 2025-10-18 Thx Debbie. I use this mixture but not frequently ### J. Gibson commented on 2025-10-18 Thank you 9s. I'm gathering up my supplies as we speak ### Sunny commented on 2025-10-18 Isolate the plant. Wear gloves. Disinfect tools and hands after handling. They are tiny pests and spread easily. Wipe down the surface where the plants sit. 🪴🍀🍀🍀 ### J. Gibson commented on 2025-10-19 UPDATE.... as you know spider mites came through and had a party. So I cut the leaves, washed the plant from stem to roots, and repotted in a clean pot with fresh soil. This is what we're working with. ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/h0ll5rXDSI2BDMPPMOGCwA.webp?size=large) #### J. Gibson replied on 2025-10-19 This is what she looks like after going through such a traumatic experience ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/3mNf2oprRcCJvSsptPt6VA.webp?size=large) ### LadyTenorJD commented on 2025-10-20 Oh my. My sister has the same plant and it had an infestation, but she beat it. She sprayed it with Captain Jack’s, I believe, and then doused the soil with some kind of insecticide. Don’t remember what. Whatever she did worked. That was this summer. I have not heard her say the mites returned. ### J. Gibson commented on 2026-01-17 UPDATE... after 3 months this is what I have. As you can probably tell I haven't done much to it. After cutting off all the leaves I was having a change of heart of whether or not I wanted to keep it. This plant really had me on an emotional 😢 roller coaster but I'm going to push through and hopefully I will have much better results in the future. ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HmMCY0AiYGqTouUx3K9QyWAjiSznIOO6xi4K7koVHZk/WW-epIlNR4GtVMr-NUUjGA.webp?size=large) --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_