Question
My 39 year old Gardenia has come down with small tan spots on the leaves - almost like small paint splatters.  What is this and what should I do.  Many thanks.

Answer
Dear Lynda, You have either whitefly or scale.  If it is whitefly, when you shake a branch of the bush, you will see clouds of small white flies.  If not, it is scale.  Either way, the cure will be the same.  You will need to spray with a horticultural oil (use SunSpray if you can find it), or you can use a biorganic oil.  Don't spray when the sun is shining and bees are out - you may need to spray at dusk.  You will need to spray tops and bottoms of the leaves as best you can.  Spray several times about a week apart, but you should see a lot of improvement by the second time you spray.  This should fix the problem.  If this doesn't work, or you see other signs that may be wrong with your gardenia, don't hesitate to write back.  I am very partial to gardenias.  I hope this information helps you.  Good luck, Melissa