Question
QUESTION: Hello.  I have two jasmine plants, 6 and 8 years old (one 8', other 12')in large pots in a small indoor patio covered last year with a sun cloth awning which lets in light, but blocks 85% UV, because it got too hot for all my plants. (Do the plants need the UV??) Live in high desert area, daytime up to 95x98ea, nights around 60, but dry, humidity usually under 35%. Have a fan running over water(a "swamp cooler")at hottest point of day, water and mist every other day. Plants drain well. Sitting above tray, not in.

Recently,both plants have begun dropping their leaves, which are still green, some completely dried out, as if freeze-dried!  Also, one of them has very small, hard whitish-yellow dots all along the stalks and on the leaves, especially at the vein lines. They're not fuzzy like mealy bugs and cling very tightly to the plant.  I can barely scrape them off (and don't want to damage the plant in doing so). I examined them under a magnifying glass and they do not appear to be a bug. At least, there's no detectable movement! Tried treating with a copper sulfate fungicide spray over the past month.  Problem persists.  Only one plant has the dots, but both are losing leaves at an alarming rate.  Suggestions? Thanks!

ANSWER: Jan,

You should be misting them daily or set up a humidifier in your indoor patio. The plants do not particularly need UV but they do need bright light. Your hand must make a very sharp shadow where they are sitting for at least 4 hours a day or the plants will not survive. they must never dry out but cannot stand to sit in water. When you water give them enough so that all the soil in the pot is moist and some water goes into the drain tray then empty it an hour later. The plant must not dry out totally. Insert a chopstick or bamboo skewer into the soil and check it daily. If it is dry more than half way down it is time to water it again. These plants do not mind heat they just can't stand to totally dry out or even constantly nearly dry out.

Your spots are scale insects. There is an insect under that hard shell. In the adult stage they never move. Only the juvenile insects move and they are 1/4th the size of the period at the end of this sentence. The best way to treat them is with a systemic insecticide that the plant will take up through it's roots and poison the insect. Go to a good garden center and they should be able to sell you a good systemic insecticide.

I suspect the leave drop is due to the scale insects and the 2nd plant my have them, just not the adult scale yet. Treat them both.

Phosphorous and potassium will need to be applied to the Jasmine twice a year. The first time immediately after the Jasmine has been pruned and the next application should occur in either June or July. Good luck!

Darlene

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

QUESTION: Thank you for your prompt and concise reply!  My apologies, though...I think I didn't give a clear enough description of those white waxy dots.  I've encountered scale on my scheflera and Meyer lemon leaves, but they were larger, brown, and left that telltale sticky sap. (Constant on-going battle with those nasties using insecticidal soap!) The dots on the jasmine are much smaller, attached MUCH more firmly and there's no sticky residue.  Are they just a different variety of scale, not a fungus or other diesease then?  I have never used a systemic insecticide on potted plants, only on trees and shrubs outdoors. Should the dose be the same as the recommendations for outdoor plants of the same size, or reduced because of the pots' close quarters?  And would this be an appropriate treatment for other potted plants like the scheflera and lemon as well? Also, I have four small indoor dogs. Any problem having them around the treated plants? Thanks again!  Jan

Answer
Jan,

If possible e-mail me a close up picture of these spots and a shot of the whole plant to [email protected]

Without seeing them I cannot tell whether it is just a different variety of scale or maybe root buds on the stem of the plant that would be completely natural. I'll watch for your pictures.

Darlene