What is wrong my my Adenium?
I had some spider mites a couple weeks ago, I killed with garden safe 3 in 1, mixed with water and rubbing alcohol.
It has been under led grow lights for about a month or so. 14 hours a day on a timer.
I just recently started feeding with a " maintenance" dose of dynagro grow, and protekt.

Mc357: Welcome to the Gard. Org forums. I just got up and went over to a corner of my basement where I have a total of 19 Adeniums under lights- never knew how many I had. LOL. There is no "red" on any of the leaves. There is the odd "yellowing" leaf as yours has one also, but that is just a dead leaf or soon to be one. I looked up the two products you mentioned, and I don't see anything wrong with the Dyna-Gro Grow, rather a weak fertilizer, ( and you have to dilute it in a gallon of water-(something like 1/2 tsp to a gallon of water) so the fertilizer strength cannot be a problem. I use whatever I have left over from gardening, usually 15-30-15 or 18-24-16, both Miracle-Gro, big tbsp to a gallon of water, but I only get about 3 or 4 plants watered before I have to refuel. I only water when the plants are dry. With respect to the other product from the same company, "Protekt", it is a soluble silicone formulation with a miniscule amount of potassium.They are making some pretty big claims about this product, including that it can be used in a foliar spray on the leaves, and I have not checked the rationale for same. Anyway, here is a thought: Something you are adding to your plant is making it look a little different than it was before? Or perhaps Safer's 3 in 1 product which you sprayed on the leaves to kill the spider mites? In the latter case I would have used Safer's Insecticidal Soap which has fatty acids in it which wipe out spider mites, been using it for years, never had a problem except for the few times when I made my own "Soapy Spray"! LOL. You just don't know what's in dishwashing soaps, etc. So, my recommendation: Just stop using both for a period of time to see what happens. Let it go without fertilizer for a little while, just water, see if the problem goes
away. Spray for mites if they come back, but just to reason this through, try a "soapy" spray. Cheers!

It's time to stop feeding your Adenium and prepare for winter dormancy, which will require that you water less often. The leaves frequently change colors before they drop. I would view these changes are totally normal for the season. The plant is telling you something. It's about to go to sleep. You are in the northern hemisphere, right?

Thank you for the warm welcome, and detailed responses.
Dyna gro does make big claims, I mixed up a gallon , if I remember correctly it was 1/2 teaspoon of each product. It really is a very diluted mix.
One of my plants has gone into dormancy, all of the leaves yellowed, and came off easily. I only have 3 adult plants. One is still very green full of leaves. I was hoping to make them skip dormancy, to grow larger. I have 4 seedlings that are growing as well. All if the plants were sprayed, and given the same feed, only one changed color. I will cut back on water, and stop the fertilizer. I hope it will end up ok, this is my first year owning these plants, I bought one last winter, and then a couple more in summer. And I grew a few seeds early fall. now I am ordering more seeds from Adenium KO

You're not going to hurt anything with the 1/2 tsp/gal of Dyna Gro, but it's not really doing much to help at this time, either. Whenever you fertilize (with any amount), be sure to water to completion, so that water comes out the holes at the bottom of the pot, so you're flushing out some of the accumulated salts each time.

The young seedlings may skip dormancy but older plants are going to be harder to convince to keep going over the winter. I keep my Adenium outside year round (mild climate here) and it's never really completely dormant, but it definitely slows way down.

Since this is your first year with Adeniums, be sure to observe your plants as they go through their changes. The winter dormancy thing does not happen overnight, it's sort of a process, and you'll have to work out the watering based on what the plants tell you. When they are leafless they are not thirsty, and there's a real risk of rot if you overwater during winter, so err on the conservative side. And then start giving more water when you see them begin to leaf out in the spring.

I have never seen spider mites here and I think it's because they hate our high humidity, or at least that's what I've been told. They really thrive when the air is dry. Something for you to bear in mind if they should reappear. During active growth (when you're watering regularly and the plants are drinking deep) you might try misting them every so often to provide a disincentive to the mites.

Depending on where you live

Adeniums have only 2 seasons > wet - and - dry

wet = the active growing season (summer months in the northern hemisphere) water adeniums like a tropical
dry = the dormant season (winter months in the northern hemisphere) treat adeniums like a cacti

Adeniums will not live through a freeze - and must be brought indoors

Adeniums also seem to take forever to go through phases or changes ....so give everything you do extra time

Many of the outside edges of leaves on my adeniums have that same crimson red color .....sometimes see that crimson red on new growth throughout the year ....no idea what causes it - or if it is detrimental to the plant - but the plants appear to be healthy & thriving

But the red specks on the interior surfaces of leaves may be something else entirely - fungal perhaps ... resembles rust fungus .... rust is often found under moist conditions, or prolonged high levels of humidity - but having treated the plant for spider mites is contradictory ...since spider mites prefer dry conditions

the red specks also resembles over-spray from a weed / grass / brush killer - if I spray a certain common weed killer on Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) - the leaves turn brilliant red - and it stays that way for weeks if not months ...
has anyone in the neighborhood sprayed weed or brush killer recently ?

Have used alcohol (both Isopropyl & ethanol) with excellent & immediate results - especially on aphids and scale - But have stopped using alcohol because no matter how weak I mix the alcohol it will damage the leaves - (it brings back a science class memory of extracting chlorophyll from leaves - by putting a leaf in a jar, then filling the jar with alcohol - in just a few minutes the alcohol turns green) - alcohol leaf damage appears as a spot or blotch that is pale green turning near colorless .... and eventually the leaf wants to fall off the plant but sometimes dangles there at the end of the stem ....
For insects - consider using *insecticidal soap* that contains fatty acids (warning > never apply insecticidal soap on a hot day and always wash it off once it dries)

The yellow on the leaves could mean a couple of things ...sometimes over-watering - and - sometimes the lack of watering .... this time of year (in the northern hemisphere) leaves turning yellow could signal that the dormant season has began .... and leaves fall off the plant .... (sometimes during the dormant season, adeniums keep leaves) in either case its normal

As others have suggested - stop fertilizing (until next spring) and stop watering -

Don't water again for 3 months - mark the date on a calendar ...when the day comes up for watering.... only water 1/4 to 1/2 *less* than the total size of the pot - you want to water just enough that it only dampens the potting media ... then repeat the 3 month no water cycle .....
Plants may shrivel a little (or alot) ...but resist the temptation to water - over-watering or plants sitting in water during the dormant season - will kill adeniums ....

Hello Mc357, I would suggest you stop giving fertilizers at this time. Adeniums slow down a lot in growth and eventually goes dormant. I have learned to respect its need for dormancy at this time of the year. As it slows down, its reaction time to changes goes very slow so rather than risk getting it fertilizer burn, let it sleep the cold season away. It does like feeling warmth, so it is good you have it indoors with good grow lights. but do not expect much growing. It will resume more vigor when ambient conditions are more favorable, temps much warmer, natural light levels stronger in late Spring.

Thank you for the detailed responses, the plant must be going dormant, the leaves have mostly fallen off, the caudex does not feel like it has any rot, so that is a good thing. I am going to let it dry for a while, and if I don't see any new leaves in three months, I will give a little water.
It's crazy how some of the Adenium go dormant, and others do not. I have one that has full leaves, my seedlings are also doing pretty good.
I must have caused the red and spotty leaves while trying to kill off the mites, hopefully when the new leaves come in they will look normal.

Hello Mc357, click and read this link : http://adenium.tucsoncactus.or...

It gives good illustration of how some Adeniums manifest their dormancy, some holding leaves, some totally dropping the leaves, to help you understand how these plants do it.

I have one Adenium at home that is probably dormant, still with full leaves, two that are dormant, and a few seedlings that are "growing"
I was watering when the caudex was a little bit soft, and then it would be firm. I have been withholding water until I can feel the caudex is soft, but now I will continue withholding water until I see new leaves, even if the cause gets a little softer than I was allowing it.

tarev said:Hello Mc357, click and read this link : http://adenium.tucsoncactus.or...

It gives good illustration of how some Adeniums manifest their dormancy, some holding leaves, some totally dropping the leaves, to help you understand how these plants do it.

A timely reminder now that adeniums are approaching dormancy.

deepsouth said:Depending on where you live

Adeniums have only 2 seasons > wet - and - dry

wet = the active growing season (summer months in the northern hemisphere) water adeniums like a tropical
dry = the dormant season (winter months in the northern hemisphere) treat adeniums like a cacti

Adeniums will not live through a freeze - and must be brought indoors

Adeniums also seem to take forever to go through phases or changes ....so give everything you do extra time

Many of the outside edges of leaves on my adeniums have that same crimson red color .....sometimes see that crimson red on new growth throughout the year ....no idea what causes it - or if it is detrimental to the plant - but the plants appear to be healthy & thriving

But the red specks on the interior surfaces of leaves may be something else entirely - fungal perhaps ... resembles rust fungus .... rust is often found under moist conditions, or prolonged high levels of humidity - but having treated the plant for spider mites is contradictory ...since spider mites prefer dry conditions

the red specks also resembles over-spray from a weed / grass / brush killer - if I spray a certain common weed killer on Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) - the leaves turn brilliant red - and it stays that way for weeks if not months ...
has anyone in the neighborhood sprayed weed or brush killer recently ?

Have used alcohol (both Isopropyl & ethanol) with excellent & immediate results - especially on aphids and scale - But have stopped using alcohol because no matter how weak I mix the alcohol it will damage the leaves - (it brings back a science class memory of extracting chlorophyll from leaves - by putting a leaf in a jar, then filling the jar with alcohol - in just a few minutes the alcohol turns green) - alcohol leaf damage appears as a spot or blotch that is pale green turning near colorless .... and eventually the leaf wants to fall off the plant but sometimes dangles there at the end of the stem ....
For insects - consider using *insecticidal soap* that contains fatty acids (warning > never apply insecticidal soap on a hot day and always wash it off once it dries)

The yellow on the leaves could mean a couple of things ...sometimes over-watering - and - sometimes the lack of watering .... this time of year (in the northern hemisphere) leaves turning yellow could signal that the dormant season has began .... and leaves fall off the plant .... (sometimes during the dormant season, adeniums keep leaves) in either case its normal

As others have suggested - stop fertilizing (until next spring) and stop watering -

Don't water again for 3 months - mark the date on a calendar ...when the day comes up for watering.... only water 1/4 to 1/2 *less* than the total size of the pot - you want to water just enough that it only dampens the potting media ... then repeat the 3 month no water cycle .....
Plants may shrivel a little (or alot) ...but resist the temptation to water - over-watering or plants sitting in water during the dormant season - will kill adeniums ....

This is a timely reminder as some of my adeniums are now going dormant.

Yes - resist the urge to water ...

deepsouth said:
Yes - resist the urge to water ...

I know it is so hard to resist watering since leaves still look healthy and some have new buds.