Question
QUESTION: I have an 8 year old jade plant indoors.  I've noticed a sticky clear film coming from several of the leaves where they attach to the stem.  What is causing this and can I save the plant?
Thanks, Susan

ANSWER: I would look for a small oval shaped, maybe brown insects appressed to the stem of the plant.  It sounds like you are describing honeydew, which is secreted by sucking insects that are feeding on the plant.  This will result in a black sooty mold growing on the plant.  If you find the bugs, take some heavy mineral oil and a Q-tip and coat each bug.  This will suffocate and kill them.  Otherwise, it may be an injury to the stem and what you are seeing is just plant sap oozing out.  Let me know if neither of these is the case.  Good Luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks David,  you were right on.  It was a brown oval insect.  I didn't have any black mold yet.  My question is:  do I need to treat the soil?  Some of them were dropping as I wiped with the Qtip.  Is there a high rate of reinfestation with this pest?
Thanks , Susan

Answer
The insects were scale insects.  They feed in an immobile state and lay eggs under the shields that you observed.  There can be a re-infestation and I would expect one.  But once you have killed the second round you should have them under control somewhat.  You can go to Home Depot and buy Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide and that product is poured on the soil and taken up by the plant systemically.  It controls the bugs for maybe up to 8 months.  Sounds like you have it under control to me.  Good Luck.