Question
Avocado
Hi Melissa,
I have had an indoor avocado plant for 4 years. Recently the trunk, more so than the leaves, has developed black dots all over it. They are not embedded and can actually be scraped off with your fingernail but they do not wipe off easily. I would attempt to scrape them all off but there are tons of them! Since these dots have showed up, the leaves have been dropping pretty rapidly, yet the leaves don't seem to have any dots on them. Instead, they are turning slightly brown around the edges. What is going on and what can I do?? I've grown so attached to the darn plant :-P
I've attached a close-up of part of the trunk.
Thanks for your help!!!
Lara
AnswerDear Lara, You seem to have a type of scale that is attacking your avocado. Scale insects are unmoving and generally attach themselves to the stems and nodes of plants, sucking out the juices. You should purchase a lightweight dormant oil like SunSpray and spray the tree thoroughly. (Don't use cooking oil, it only makes the tree gummy.) You should then put it in bright light and the scale should smother under the coating. You will have to spray the tree more than once, scale is hard to kill. Also inspect other houseplants to see if they are infected. It may take a few weeks and a few sprays, but this should help get rid of them. Also keep your avocado a little on the dry side. This may help as your plant recovers. Good luck, Melissa
