il Mon, 14 Feb 2005 00:36:11 -0500, Steve ha scritto:

Loki wrote:

il Sun, 13 Feb 2005 10:40:17 -0500, Steve ha scritto:


Katra wrote:


.......................................
Ok... so what can I use for scale infestation on cactus?
San Pedro cactus...


I had to look up a picture of San Pedro cactus to see if it was covered
with spines or not. I see there is space between the rows of spines.
If you have it in a pot, and it's not too huge, you can do it the easy
way. Take some rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab and rub off every scale.
Spray, or otherwise wet the plant with alcohol about twice a week to
kill the microscopic young ones. Inspect the plant closely every week
for a while to watch for new scale. Get them before they have time to
reproduce.
If you live where you are growing this cactus outside, you'll probably
have to spray with something stronger.

Steve


Do you have any idea how much alcohol one can use on any plant before
it turns up it's toes? I get occassional scale on various plants and
some can be rubbed off but the bay tree is loaded (mainly on the
trunks, not the leaves.


I'm pretty sure most plants can tolerate undiluted rubbing alcohol
(usually, it's isopropyl alcohol) sprayed as often as you want. It
evaporates fast and leaves no residue.
Alcohol will not kill adult scale. It's mainly to kill the newly hatched
babies. On a plant with too many scales to remove by hand, I would use
something else. The proper type of oil will smother even the adults
without harming the plant and it's quite non toxic.

Steve

There are one or two houseplants that don't like oil. but as usual I
can't remember what they are. I suspect the Kentia Palm is one and
probably violets. I'd have to browse my books again and since I'm
really meant to be getting ready for work... Soft fluffy leaves
probably don't handle it well ;-)
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]