Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I have a 5-foot orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) in a pot. It was given to me two years ago by a friend who moved out of her very sunny apartment. Unfortunately, where I have it, it gets bright light but not a lot of sun. Somehow it has survived, even blooming occasionally, and its leaves have adapted and grown larger. I water it once a week and add a few drops of Schultz's plant food. Just today I noticed that it has scale on the lower leaves. I read your response about scale on the Bird of Paradise. Is there any way to treat it without drenching my apartment, or should I just cover the floor in plastic and spray it? Can I allow the formula to drip into the pot? Many thanks for your help!
Katharine

ANSWER: Hi Katharine,

There is no reason to drench your apartment to treat the scale on your Jasmine, but there is no avoiding drenching the plant on all stem and leaf surfaces. Although this can be a bit messy, if you do it in the kitchen or bath tub and put some plastic or newspaper down underneath the plant, you should be able to confine the dripping to a pretty limited area.

Use a solution of 5 parts water, 1 part rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and a squirt of liquid dish soap in a small hand sprayer set at the finest mist level. If you are careful, there will be lots of drip from the leaves, but not much spray drift. In this case, thoroughness of coverage matters more than anything else.

I have written an article on identifying and treating indoor plant pests and also one on Jasmine care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com



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

QUESTION: I applied the formula you suggested and it worked well. Afterward, I did my best to remove all of the scale. Does the formula kill the scale? I ask because I'm not sure if I removed every single one (the plant is very large and bushy). Should I reapply the spray in a few days to be sure? Can I leave the formula on the leaves or should I rinse the plant with plain water?
Many thanks, again, for your help!
Katharine

Answer
Hi Katharine,

The alcohol and soap will kill any scale insects that it contacts directly. That is why thoroughness of coverage is so important. If you miss a few, they will reproduce and return in noticeable numbers in a month or two. It is not necessary to physically wipe away each scale because as long as the spray has covered them, they will die although their carcasses may remain in place. Physically removing the scales is done more for aesthetic reasons.

Let the spray remain on the leaves for at least an hour. Then, you can rinse it off if you want, or just leave it. A second spraying in a week might be beneficial if you missed a few the first time. However, it is not essential and you may not want to bother. In any case, be alert for any return of the scale in the future. Routine monitoring of your plants for any signs of pests is always a good idea. Plant pests are always easier to treat when they are caught in the early stages.

~Will