GardenBanter.co.uk

GardenBanter.co.uk (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/)
-   United Kingdom (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/)
-   -   Sticky Leaves Help (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/21546-sticky-leaves-help.html)

Josey 09-05-2003 10:32 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 
Hi,

We have a plant in our conservatory. Not sure what it is exactly, other than
probably not an umbrella plant, because that's what we call it. Parasol
Plant maybe.

Anyhow it was fine in the previous house for 8 years, but for the last 2
years it's developed *very* sticky leaves. It creates a circle of sticky goo
on the floor around the plant. The leaves are covered on the surface with
the sugary-like substance, and it is in nodules under the leafs.

There is a photo of the underside of a leaf he http://tinyurl.com/bedu

Sorry its a bigish picture and I have no software to hand ATM to reduce the
resolution.

Any idea whats wrong and how to stop it being sticky?

Thanks,

Jc.



Nick Maclaren 09-05-2003 11:20 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 
In article ,
Josey wrote:

We have a plant in our conservatory. Not sure what it is exactly, other than
probably not an umbrella plant, because that's what we call it. Parasol
Plant maybe.

Anyhow it was fine in the previous house for 8 years, but for the last 2
years it's developed *very* sticky leaves. It creates a circle of sticky goo
on the floor around the plant. The leaves are covered on the surface with
the sugary-like substance, and it is in nodules under the leafs.

Any idea whats wrong and how to stop it being sticky?


I am not going to look at your picture on dial-up, but the answer is
a sap-sucking pest. If you can't see it, and the leaves tend to go
mottled yellow, it is probably red spider mite. The best solutions
are to spray with soft soap, washing-up liquid and methylated spirits
or even just water (but that only discourages them).

You can also get a parasite for the parasite - phytoseiulus, but that
is more a solution for an infested conservatory full of plants.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Josey 09-05-2003 11:32 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Josey wrote:

We have a plant in our conservatory. Not sure what it is exactly, other

than
probably not an umbrella plant, because that's what we call it. Parasol
Plant maybe.

Anyhow it was fine in the previous house for 8 years, but for the last 2
years it's developed *very* sticky leaves. It creates a circle of sticky

goo
on the floor around the plant. The leaves are covered on the surface with
the sugary-like substance, and it is in nodules under the leafs.

Any idea whats wrong and how to stop it being sticky?


I am not going to look at your picture on dial-up, but the answer is
a sap-sucking pest. If you can't see it, and the leaves tend to go
mottled yellow, it is probably red spider mite. The best solutions
are to spray with soft soap, washing-up liquid and methylated spirits
or even just water (but that only discourages them).

You can also get a parasite for the parasite - phytoseiulus, but that
is more a solution for an infested conservatory full of plants.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Nick, thanks. This sounds like the cause. The leaves are yellowing too.
I'll take some action against them!
Jc.



david 10-05-2003 01:44 AM

Sticky Leaves Help
 
Your plant has scale insects, ...and the Pic didn't take long to open.

--
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk



Nick Maclaren 10-05-2003 12:32 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 
In article ,
david wrote:
Your plant has scale insects, ...and the Pic didn't take long to open.


In which case, spraying won't help. They should be scraped off gently
with a bluntish but pointed knife or similar. Repeat a couple of
times as young ones grow, and they can be dealt with.

I should have remembered that scale insects are easy to see and hard
to notice! Exactly unlike red spider mite.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Josey 10-05-2003 01:20 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
david wrote:
Your plant has scale insects, ...and the Pic didn't take long to open.


In which case, spraying won't help. They should be scraped off gently
with a bluntish but pointed knife or similar. Repeat a couple of
times as young ones grow, and they can be dealt with.

I should have remembered that scale insects are easy to see and hard
to notice! Exactly unlike red spider mite.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Thanks for the info - scraping them off is the only thing I can do?

Jc.



Nick Maclaren 10-05-2003 01:32 PM

Sticky Leaves Help
 
In article ,
Josey wrote:

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
david wrote:
Your plant has scale insects, ...and the Pic didn't take long to open.


In which case, spraying won't help. They should be scraped off gently
with a bluntish but pointed knife or similar. Repeat a couple of
times as young ones grow, and they can be dealt with.


Thanks for the info - scraping them off is the only thing I can do?


No, but it is by FAR the most effective solution! How big is the
plant?

Scale insects are fairly pesticide-resistant, and I have heard that
the biological controls are better at stopping infestations spreading
than in eliminating esisting ones (i.e. they tend to attack the young
scale insects). I could well be wrong with the latter.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:26 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter