On Thu, 26 May 2011 09:02:26 +0000 (UTC), Ann Lancing
wrote:


I have scale insects on a cultivated blackberry. The infestation was so
bad that I cut out all the stems.
Will it come back with the new shoots, if so how can I kill them?


Yesterday a friend discovered scale insects on my stephanotis. I had
seen some clusters of flower bud appearing, after 3 years of waiting.
The friend inspecting the plant and found the scale. ( I don't see
such things easily becauseof my sight.) She cut off the worst affected
leaves for me. Now how do I deal with any other scales there may be?
I don't think a systemic insecticide will work as the leaves are waxy.
Is it a case of wiping the bottoms (LOL) of all the leaves? I heard
once on GQT that whisky is the thing to use, on a bit of cotton wool.
Any other suggestions?
The plant is twined round a circular wire, and quite a tangle of
leaves.
Incidentally I got fed up with training the long shoots around in a
circle so this Spring I started cutting them off. I wonder if this
has triggered flowering.

Pam in Bristol