SOS #TheWateringHole !
I have a scale crisis on my climbing wall! 😬
Many (NINE!!!) months ago I found scale on my aloe plant that was where the Pilea is now. I’ve been watching the climbing plants as closely as possible since then I haven’t seen anything until today…and oh my did I ever see them…ICK! 😱
So I’m making my plan of attack and I need your tips and support 🤞🏻❤️🌱
Here’s my plan so far:
🌱Lay the whole thing on a drop cloth.
🌱Carefully remove all plants, looking carefully for any more signs of scale.
🌱Trimming off any infested leaves/stems (spraying all tools with alcohol all the time).
🌱Quarantining and treating remaining plants (With what? How often? For how long?).
🌱 Taking the tub and trellis outside and disinfecting them (with what? Alcohol? Bleach?).
What am I missing? What words of encouragement can you offer?
What GOOD plant news can you share to balance out my little nightmare? 😂
#debbiedo
Many (NINE!!!) months ago I found scale on my aloe plant that was where the Pilea is now. I’ve been watching the climbing plants as closely as possible since then I haven’t seen anything until today…and oh my did I ever see them…ICK! 😱
So I’m making my plan of attack and I need your tips and support 🤞🏻❤️🌱
Here’s my plan so far:
🌱Lay the whole thing on a drop cloth.
🌱Carefully remove all plants, looking carefully for any more signs of scale.
🌱Trimming off any infested leaves/stems (spraying all tools with alcohol all the time).
🌱Quarantining and treating remaining plants (With what? How often? For how long?).
🌱 Taking the tub and trellis outside and disinfecting them (with what? Alcohol? Bleach?).
What am I missing? What words of encouragement can you offer?
What GOOD plant news can you share to balance out my little nightmare? 😂
#debbiedo
41
Best Answer
@debbiedo Nooooo, I’m so sorry, what a pain! I would treat them with the regular standard neem + Castile mixture
-1 Tb pure neem oil with,
-1/2 tsp Castile, mixed with,
-4 cups (32oz) water
But the thing with scale is, that it’s best to have manually scraped off the scale first, since their outer shell is really like armor and resists treatment.
Shannon @SuperbRaspfern recommended treating a different type of scale once a week for 3 weeks, but also tagging her in case this kind of scale needs a different treatment. I would also like to know what you would disinfect tubs and trellises with, please Shannon 🙏
Scale can be a pain to remove, but they really don’t move very fast (if at all, for adults) so you CAN stop the spread!!
Lastly, have you seen any ants recently? Keep your eye out for them, scale often hitches a ride with them, and ants can even ‘milk’ (so to speak) scale for their honeydew 🤢
-1 Tb pure neem oil with,
-1/2 tsp Castile, mixed with,
-4 cups (32oz) water
But the thing with scale is, that it’s best to have manually scraped off the scale first, since their outer shell is really like armor and resists treatment.
Shannon @SuperbRaspfern recommended treating a different type of scale once a week for 3 weeks, but also tagging her in case this kind of scale needs a different treatment. I would also like to know what you would disinfect tubs and trellises with, please Shannon 🙏
Scale can be a pain to remove, but they really don’t move very fast (if at all, for adults) so you CAN stop the spread!!
Lastly, have you seen any ants recently? Keep your eye out for them, scale often hitches a ride with them, and ants can even ‘milk’ (so to speak) scale for their honeydew 🤢
@CutePolypremum @lifeis2short @AC73LoveCats @theloveofplants @ILoveMyPlants @TheOddAsity @SweetAzurebluet @Ninabeena @MariansOasis @Amateurbotany @Arid_oasis @Babevila @elisenavidad @FitBrowallia @JenniB81 @JenniferNoel @Michelle5986 @debbiedo @PrizedShadscale @planthoe40 @AmusingRedhill @Pineapplemom @Popcornjoness @idplantthat @craaa777 @preciousplants @TRose @AmyM @Motheroforchids @BuffCaperspurge @PrincessPitStop @Plants_Galore @Prentyce @PioneerRutabaga @motheroforchids @refinedsandwort @elk @baobab_zig @dogs-equal-joy @toouniquel @PHILO @DreamMachine @Ponytailmom @IWantThatPlant @antsinurplants @mamalinne @jho @mtplantlady @stephongreg @shadowbxrbaby @TidyTigerpear @LucidAgapanthus @Forbes57 @Just1More @BEsucculent @CactusAdjacent @HolyLacealoe @ZappyLilac84 @UberCoccoon22 @YesWaiuatua7 @ToMuchPlants @soothingcacto90 @TryAnahaw60 @StoutTwister88 @HummingbirdMint @malagueña @Miawilliams @maci.in.bloom @Sassylimey @LikelyChaya33
@Hydrahydrangea Crusty, sticky, destructive 😒
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/insects-pests-and-problems/insects/scale/scale-indoors
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/insects-pests-and-problems/insects/scale/scale-indoors
@DreamMachine Thank you Nadia! I’m planning to cut and toss and scale I can see. And no, no sign of ants so far 🤞🏻
Sounds like your prepared and have everything to take care of these nasty buggers!
I’m a fan of the cotton swab with rubbing alcohol to kill and remove them.
Have you considered systemic granules? The brand I have access to here has a slight boiled egg small but once mixed in the soil don’t really notice it.
Not the greatest way to spend your weekend, hoping for full and quickly recovery!
I’m a fan of the cotton swab with rubbing alcohol to kill and remove them.
Have you considered systemic granules? The brand I have access to here has a slight boiled egg small but once mixed in the soil don’t really notice it.
Not the greatest way to spend your weekend, hoping for full and quickly recovery!
Seconding @FamedGymealily - I’m no fan of pesticides, but these are indoor plants. Not edible, no runoff, no threat to pollinators… try systemic granules. I fought a nasty combo of scale and mealybugs for months until I finally just worked some systemic pesticide into the soil. Been pest free on that plant for a year now
@FamedGymealily Thanhs for the good wishes, Kristopher 😊 I was planning to cut back done outdoor plants this weekend, but those will definitely have to wait!
@CordialWildyam @FamedGymealily I do have a tiny bit of systemic left from before it was outlawed in our state. I’d really like to not use it since I generally put my drip tray water down the sink 🤞🏻 If I get desperate I could try securing and they be more careful to not these enough to drip through. But even as I type that, I realize that it sounds very unlikely 😂
@debbiedo
Hi Debbie!
OMG... I'm so sorry!
Although I don't know anything about scale, would like to give you my loving support and hoping you can get rid of this monster soon.
@DreamMachine @SuperbRaspfern
Will be able to help you! 😍
@JenniB81
Hi guys!
We haven't heard from you in ages and wondering how you're doing with those big floods in Edinburgh...
What has been your experience with scale?
Hi Debbie!
OMG... I'm so sorry!
Although I don't know anything about scale, would like to give you my loving support and hoping you can get rid of this monster soon.
@DreamMachine @SuperbRaspfern
Will be able to help you! 😍
@JenniB81
Hi guys!
We haven't heard from you in ages and wondering how you're doing with those big floods in Edinburgh...
What has been your experience with scale?
@DreamMachine Yep exactly Nadia. It's a big plant and a lot to treat. Debbie since it's huge. I do recommend putting the vines into a bucket filled with your neem water.
For a standard 5 gallon bucket that would be 20 tablespoons of neem. Must be Pure. I would also mix in Castile Soap 4 Teaspoons. She should drape well into the bucket since you're taking her off the trellis. Then let her soak for 5 minutes. Swirl your hand into the water so any air bubbles rise up and then you will know the entire surface is covered. I've done that to new plants, pot and all.
Since this is your second plant with them have you thoroughly examined ALL of your outdoor plants? You may have one that has them. I would thoroughly examine your yard.
That does happen when a plant has bugs outside. I had a mealybug issue from my dog bringing them in on a succulent that was hiding behind my A/C unit.
For a standard 5 gallon bucket that would be 20 tablespoons of neem. Must be Pure. I would also mix in Castile Soap 4 Teaspoons. She should drape well into the bucket since you're taking her off the trellis. Then let her soak for 5 minutes. Swirl your hand into the water so any air bubbles rise up and then you will know the entire surface is covered. I've done that to new plants, pot and all.
Since this is your second plant with them have you thoroughly examined ALL of your outdoor plants? You may have one that has them. I would thoroughly examine your yard.
That does happen when a plant has bugs outside. I had a mealybug issue from my dog bringing them in on a succulent that was hiding behind my A/C unit.
@CutePolypremum Thanks for the good wishes, Joanie ❤️ I’m so glad to see you pop up here, I’ve been wondering how you are! 😊
@SuperbRaspfern Great tip about the bucket, Shannon, thank you! I haven’t noticed any scale outside, but I’ll definitely look 👀
@SuperbRaspfern I think they originally came in on an Aloe Vera cutting I got from a neighbor 9 months ago. It was sitting on the table near this trellis (some leaves touching). I got rid of the aloe then, and maybe used systemic on these since it was so long ago. Ive stopped using systemics since then, so maybe some survived and were recently more able to thrive?
@debbiedo Yes, that's very likely. If you used imidacloprid as a systematic it won't work on armored scale insects.
It's all how the scale feeds, soft scale feeds on the vascular tissue of the plant differently than hard scale. So while it can work for soft scale, it is worthless with hard scale insects.
I'm glad you aren't using systematic anymore personally.
It's the people using them continually that has caused so much resistance for pests. Then when people do need them they won't work at all.
So I personally thank you! 🩷
It's even quite possible the systematic worked for a while one or 2 survived it and through exposure since it stays in the soil for years, they may have developed a resistance to the systematic (if it's soft scale).
A colony can develop a resistance over time. Just like how we become resistant to antibiotics if they are overused. (Not saying you overuse systematics). But that is what happens.
It's all how the scale feeds, soft scale feeds on the vascular tissue of the plant differently than hard scale. So while it can work for soft scale, it is worthless with hard scale insects.
I'm glad you aren't using systematic anymore personally.
It's the people using them continually that has caused so much resistance for pests. Then when people do need them they won't work at all.
So I personally thank you! 🩷
It's even quite possible the systematic worked for a while one or 2 survived it and through exposure since it stays in the soil for years, they may have developed a resistance to the systematic (if it's soft scale).
A colony can develop a resistance over time. Just like how we become resistant to antibiotics if they are overused. (Not saying you overuse systematics). But that is what happens.
@SuperbRaspfern I’m wondering if a bleach solution would work on the trellis and bin? (Less sticky for sure 😊)
Now that is AMAZING! Great photos my friend. I hate to say it but they are quite pretty with the up close details like that, albeit destructive! Thanks for sharing, I love it 🩷