Scale Removal

xghostx

Is there an easier way of scale removal and eradication other then manually crushing the scale off the tree (leaves). I have removed some of the foliage and painfully gone over the tree and continue to find more in each crack and crevasse. I am not sure how tolerant a willow leaf ficus is to pesticide or if that is even a solution for scale removal. Any way must be easier then going over each branch and leaf. here is a pic of the tree. it is large for me but I understand there are larger trees out there and if this happens what do people do to remedy this.

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Repotter

Here are some other ways. Spray with an "all seasons" oil spray mix.
You can also add a systemic into the soil that when taken up by the tree will poison the critters.
I have also used my own mix of a vegetable oil mix of 2 tablespoons to the quart.
Some people dab them with a cotton swab wetted with rubbing alcohol.

Good luck.

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xghostx

what is your recipe and how is it used? thanx for the info thus far!

swatchpost

Hello! I had the exact same problem with my willow leaf, Ficus nerifolia a couple months ago. You can look up all the answers to my same question if you search for the thread "Bad Watering Habit."

Essentially, I was watering incorrectly, and that caused a scale attack probably due to the tree weakening from overwatering. As soon as the scale attacked, the tree lost most of its leaves in two days and I was freaking out. This happened to my Jim Smith Ficus and I was praying, voodooing, everything I could think of to keep it from dying.

The best thing that I've found is to physically remove (pinch-out) the scale with tweezers (when they get mature), and be sure to look in EVERY single little crevice they could possibly hide. I hit them as well with Schultz insecticide spray which contains neem oil (just look on the back of the spray bottle if you have that in your area). I did that every four days, and in a week they were gone. My tree has budded back since then, and luckily didn't lose any branches from my now-corrected bad watering habit.

Hope this helps. Nerifolias are finicky trees. You've got to always keep your eye on them for ANY changes, and pay special close attention to your watering—pest problems are never the real problem—they are usually a result of something else.

Cheers!

Yusef

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AndyWilson

Ear bud with alcohol for me...

If your lazy then add some plain soap to some water, couple teaspoons for 2 litres and then spray, leave for a bit then wash off. Repeat for a few days and no more scale aphids or mite...