Scale

11 years ago

I was bored tonight, so I got out an especially bright flashlight and went into my sunroom where I keep my plants to look at the new growth on one of my meyers. I noticed one scale on the trunk high up. After that I looked at every leaf top and bottom and only could find one other leaf, this time with two very small scales and a bit of that sticky secretion stuff they leave behind. After that inspection, I moved the tree into a different room (without much light though, and risk of pets attacking it) to isolate it. It seems that I have caught this very early, so I'm hoping it's easier to get rid of.

First of all: where do you guys buy fish emulsion for future prevention (i never got around to ordering it, but now I should)

Should I use a cotton swab with alcohol? Buy horticultural oil? Should I just cut all the leaves off the plant so I only have to treat the trunk? I can get pics tommorrow I think. How far can these travel, was isolating unnecessary?

I heard that they can travel by people, and not a week ago I had family from texas where they grow citrus drive up here (arkansas) and they were in the room I keep my plants for a long time, so maybe that's how I've got them?

I went and looked for a while at my other citrus, but none of them had any scale when I looked, but I will keep looking .

Andrew

Comments (4)

Doglips
11 years ago
Be careful with alcohol, you can burn the plant. Dilute if you plan on using it.

Soft scale can removed with a good bath. This is not exactly bath season, wet and cold feet can be plant-o-cide.
Wrap the pot and put in the shower. Let it dry a bit before returning to a cold environment.

Monitor for fresh outbreaks.

Hard scale requires harsher stuff. I haven't had to deal with that, yet.
meyermike_1micha
11 years ago
You could look up 'Neptune's Harvest' and order from them It's cold pressed and the best.

I would use the cotton swab and get all you see. Then use a light mixture of alcohol and water with a bit of Neem.

I would trim the tree back if it overwhelming to you. That is what I do to all my plants to keep pests under control.

Andrew, not sure if they can travel like that. Rhizo would know though.

Mike
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MrClint
11 years ago
The Problem Solver: Pests and Ailments - Controlling Common Insect Pests and Other Ailments at fourwindsgrowers has fairly simple & easy to follow directions that work well.
foolishpleasure
11 years ago
I am not familiar with this insect. Is there any spray to kill it. When I am attacked with insects I use Spectracide triazicide on stone fruit and grapes. It is not poison. Its action is to destroy the nervous sys of the insect and kill them on contact above the ground or into the soil. My citrus are insect free thanks God but I spray copper every once in a while.
That spray I mentioned saved my Cucumbers because some thing was injuring the stem just above the roots and killing the whole trees. when I laced the water with that spray and soked the root area this saved my season and my sanity.