I got some B. multiplex (bamboo hedge) today, and have noticed that they've got scale. The hard-bodied type, elongated (oval), smooth. Not a whole bunch - the plants seem healthy - and only on the lower parts.

The grower (not a bamboo nursery), when I asked, seemed unconcerned. He said everybody's bamboo had scale, and to just spray them with a horticultural oil spray this spring.

Are scale really so common on bamboo, and not a big deal?

I'd have gone elsewhere, but these bamboo were a gift. I'll be more selective with the rest of the bamboo I plan to get soon.

What's the best way to get rid of them. An IPM method (I don't like most pesticides)? If I use the oil, when would I spray it? (This might be a question for the IPM forum.)

Leslie