Would you please let me know what is wrong with my plants.

Question: Would you please let me know what is wrong with my plants.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied April 28, 2023, 12:26 PM EDT
response: The money tree in the first photo appears to have minor damage due to stress unrelated to a pest or disease. Something in its environmental conditions (soil moisture fluctuations, air humidity level, etc.) may have caused the leaf edge to start drying out. This leaf won't heal itself if the problem is fixed, but eventually the damaged leaf will be shed by the plant on its own. Increasing indoor humidity for houseplants can be challenging, mainly during winter when it's naturally at its lowest. Using a room humidifier can help, at least in smaller or mid-size rooms. Misting foliage and using humidity trays under the plant don't work as well as gardeners think, despite their popularity.  Important to root health is good drainage. Make sure the plant is in a pot that has at least one drain hole, and when watering, give it enough water so that the excess freely drips/drains out of the bottom of the pot. How often to water will depend on how quickly the potting mix dries, but this plant prefers to not get too dry between waterings. Feeling the soil about an inch deep and watering when it's becoming dry to the touch at that depth is probably ideal. Over-watering can drown roots, and under-watering can also kill them. If the pot sits on a saucer to catch drips, empty it promptly after watering so any collected water doesn't seep back into the pot and saturate roots. If the plant hasn't been repotted in a year or two, consider giving it fresh mix and remove what old mix you can in the process as this can remove a build-up of mineral residues from tap water and unused fertilizer. Since we can't determine the precise cause of the leaf damage here, all of the above methods are good ways to keep indoor plants healthy and less likely to be stressed or damaged.  The second plant, the citrus, has a mite infestation. These insect relatives suck plant juices out of the leaf, causing that pale stippled appearance. The first approach should be to just blast them off the foliage using a strong spray of water (shield the potting mix as best you can so it too is not rinsed out of the pot). A sink sprayer or shower head can be a good tool for this, though if you have an outdoor garden hose, this may be easier as long as you do it on a mild-temperature day so the plant isn't cold-shocked. You can also rub the foliage with your fingers (top and bottom of the leaves) under running water if a spray nozzle isn't feasible. If this doesn't work to reduce mite numbers after a few attempts (separated by a few days or a couple weeks), you can try a low-toxicity pesticide instead, like horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Use a product labeled for this purpose as opposed to a homemade remedy because these are more likely to either not work well or to cause plant damage. Repeat treatment at an interval described on the label instructions may be needed. Bear in mind that damaged leaves cannot heal so even once the mites are under control, these stippled leaves won't look any better. However, a good indication your efforts are working will be that the new growth the plant keeps producing is more healthy-looking and doesn't develop the same damage.  Our Growing Dwarf Citrus page provides information that may help with the long-term care of this plant. Growing it outside during the summer, if an option for you, is ideal since these tropical plants appreciate the better light, higher humidity, and breezes that outdoor growing provides. Don't put it outside until danger of frost has passed (around early to mid-May for your area) and keep it shaded for at least the first week, gradually introducing it to more direct sun so it has time to adjust.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied April 28, 2023, 1:04 PM EDT
response: Hi, thank you so much, I will do what ever you said and see what will happen.Soraya.Sent from my iPhone On Apr 28, 2023, at 12:26, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:﻿

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied April 28, 2023, 1:13 PM EDT
response: You're welcome.