RE: Vicki-What's Going On In Your Garden? now scale insects

[Guest guest]

Hi Anita

 

> Vicki, I have two orange trees that we purchased last year. One

> of them has a black mold or soot looking substance on the older

> leaves. Is this scale? If so, I'll try your remedy, or if

> someone else can help us both, I would appreciate it also.

 

I've just checked one of my organic gardening books and this is what it

says:

 

Scale insects leave a black sooty mould on leaves, twigs and fruit. The

sooty mould is the first indicator of scale attacking the plants. The scale

looks like tiny blisters (a little smaller than a ladybird, and brown in

colour) and usually appears on the underside of the leaves, but it also

congregates around the branches and sometimes on the fruit.

 

The insects produce a sugary substance which is a food source for sooty

mould. The sugary secretion also attracts ants, which prevent the natural

enemies of the scale from doing their job, so controlling the ants will

help.

\

Their suggested method is to mix oil and water, emulsified to form a thick

liquid then dilute with 40 parts of water and sprayed onto the offending

area. It suffocates the insects. They say mix one cup of cooking oil with

one and a half cups water in a blender with a little dishwashing detergent

before diluting with the 40 parts water.

 

Another method I've heard is to place a strip of foil around the base of the

tree and smear it with grease or oil, to prevent the insects making their

way up the trunk. I don't know how successful it is and it seems to be more

a preventative measure.

 

But DON'T put the grease directly onto the trunk of the tree.

 

Vicki