Scale -

Tomstrees · April 10, 2007

I know this isn't really a tomato related question, but both my lemon tree & curry tree have "scale" bugs on them -

Does anyone know anything that works to rid the pests from the bark ?

I'd remove the infected foliage and destroy, but it looks fairly heavy ... (on the lemon tree)

Thanks,

Tom

akgardengirl · April 11, 2007

Tom,
I have (hopefully had) scale on my indoor Meyer lemon tree and I used a spray bottle with neem oil, about 1 tbls. mixed with 5 drops dishsoap and then sprayed like crazy 1x week. Seems the neem oil smothers those things and they drop off. The bottle was a quart size and I used warm-hot water to disperse the oil in the solution.
Sue B.

Tomstrees · April 20, 2007

Thanks Sue !!! (sorry so late to reply)
I will def. give that a try !!!

~ Tom

barkeater · April 21, 2007

Safer Insecticidal Soap should also work, Tom, also summer-weight horticultural oil.

Tomstrees · May 2, 2007

Somethings got to give ...
its now spread to my Curry tree and the sap is every where ...

~ Tom

felpec · May 12, 2007

I had a horrible infestation on my citrus and bay trees. I used an insecticidal soap and neem oil spray as well. I ended up having to scrub the little buggers off with a soft toothbrush (no easy task on five 4 foot x 3 foot bushy trees).

One thing I did do is drench the soil in the pots really well with the insecticidal soap, thinking they possibly could be hiding in there. So far, so good - no scale this winter.

honu · May 12, 2007

Tom, In addition to oil sprays, control the ants around your trees, since ants protect the scale from predators. Also, check w/ your extension on recommendations for releasing or attracting predatory beetles and/or wasps.

April 10, 2007	#1
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Scale - I know this isn't really a tomato related question, but both my lemon tree & curry tree have "scale" bugs on them - Does anyone know anything that works to rid the pests from the bark ? I'd remove the infected foliage and destroy, but it looks fairly heavy ... (on the lemon tree) Thanks, Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

April 20, 2007	#3
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Thanks Sue !!! (sorry so late to reply) I will def. give that a try !!! ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

May 2, 2007	#5
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Somethings got to give ... its now spread to my Curry tree and the sap is every where ... ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

April 11, 2007	#2
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	Tom, I have (hopefully had) scale on my indoor Meyer lemon tree and I used a spray bottle with neem oil, about 1 tbls. mixed with 5 drops dishsoap and then sprayed like crazy 1x week. Seems the neem oil smothers those things and they drop off. The bottle was a quart size and I used warm-hot water to disperse the oil in the solution. Sue B.

April 21, 2007	#4
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	Safer Insecticidal Soap should also work, Tom, also summer-weight horticultural oil.

May 12, 2007	#6
felpec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey Posts: 122	I had a horrible infestation on my citrus and bay trees. I used an insecticidal soap and neem oil spray as well. I ended up having to scrub the little buggers off with a soft toothbrush (no easy task on five 4 foot x 3 foot bushy trees). One thing I did do is drench the soil in the pots really well with the insecticidal soap, thinking they possibly could be hiding in there. So far, so good - no scale this winter.

May 12, 2007	#7
honu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 270	Tom, In addition to oil sprays, control the ants around your trees, since ants protect the scale from predators. Also, check w/ your extension on recommendations for releasing or attracting predatory beetles and/or wasps.