I have 2 large gardenia trees that I winter over in my greenhouse...they
have mealy bugs, scale and black mold.
Is there any organic product I can use that will not defoliate the plants?
If not, what non-organic product would you recommend?
Many thanks,
Mary

drake wrote:
I have 2 large gardenia trees that I winter over in my greenhouse...they
have mealy bugs, scale and black mold.
Is there any organic product I can use that will not defoliate the plants?
If not, what non-organic product would you recommend?
Many thanks,
Mary

I spray with malathion, but only when I see the pests proliferating.
These pests can destroy the contents of a greenhouse because the insects
that prey on them generally stay outside.

The black mold (sometimes called "sooty mold") grows on the sugary syrup
exuded by the mealy bugs and scale (and by aphids). Get rid of them,
and the mold will disappear.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

I used a systemic for scale on mine. Probably a good idea to spray
them with it again before wintering next year.

Thanks for your reply....still looking for an organic product but if I don't
find any...I will use the malathion.
MMary
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
.. .
drake wrote:
I have 2 large gardenia trees that I winter over in my greenhouse...they
have mealy bugs, scale and black mold.
Is there any organic product I can use that will not defoliate the
plants?
If not, what non-organic product would you recommend?
Many thanks,
Mary

I spray with malathion, but only when I see the pests proliferating.
These pests can destroy the contents of a greenhouse because the insects
that prey on them generally stay outside.

The black mold (sometimes called "sooty mold") grows on the sugary syrup
exuded by the mealy bugs and scale (and by aphids). Get rid of them,
and the mold will disappear.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

I do use a systemic, but since the trunk is over an inch thick on the
trees...I was told it travels too slowly up the trunk....thanks for the
reply.
Mary
"Frank" wrote in message
ups.com...
I used a systemic for scale on mine. Probably a good idea to spray
them with it again before wintering next year.

My 30+ year old gardenia has a 2 1/2 inch trunk, I sprayed the whole
plant when it was outdoors.
Scale did not come back.
Frank