Scale
My jasmine is approx.6 yrs old and it winters inside next to a humidifier. Has dropped a lot of leaves which doesn’t concern me. What does concern me is the underside of leaves appear to have scale. Only these bumps don’t seem to be bugs. Plus are quite small. Any ideas? Thank you!
The first sign of scale is the clear sticky honeydew on the leaves/stems. The bumps can vary in size and color due to the stage of development. Underneath the bumps (which protect them from sprays) are eggs and crawlers which eventually crawl out but are difficult to detect because they are clear in color. It is at this stage, that they are vulnerable to sprays, and if treated can be controlled.
Persistent spraying is important. Neem oil can be used twice a month for 2 months. Use 1 oz. (2Tbsp) of Neem Oil , 1 1/2 tsp dishwashing detergent to one gallon of water. Another recommendation for shiny-leaved plants only is Cedoflora, which is low in toxicity, safe and effective.
A stronger option is Orthene, which is a systemic pesticide. It renders the whole plant as poisonous and insects die after feeding on it. It smells bad and should be used with extreme caution. (Never indoors). Follow manufacturers direction for safe use.
For a safe treatment try some horticultural oil on a Q-tip and dab on individual adult scale. The oil will kill them by suffocation. For cottony cushion scale use rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip. You can also scrape them off with your fingernail which can be a very tedious task. Repeated sprays of insecticidal soap once a week can help control the problem. One treatment is not effective as you may kill the adult but not the next generation. Check your plant often for scale insects so that you can control any infestation before it gets out of control.
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Hello,
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Hi
I’m a new to the house plant thing. I’ve searched your site because my staghorn fern has little white/ brownish bumps. I see a picture but the article it is with doesn’t talk about the staghorn but a jasmine plant. I’m assuming I have some sort of insect. But I’m not sure how to take care of it. Can you please advise.
Thanks
F
SCALE
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