Question
Hello! My name is Marlee Vieth and I had bought a Fern plant at
Wallaces's Garden center sometime back in March of this year. Since I
have bought it I repot it into a very large pot with Miracle Grow and
Moisture control potting mix. I deceided to put it to the left of my sliding
glass door and since then it has been doing awesome, it is about 6 feet
tall from the soil to leaf but recently I have noticed this white/brownish stuff
speckled on a few of the leaves but ecspecially on the leaf in the middle. I
am afraid that is killing my Fern. I water it almost every week or every
other week with tap water. So could you kindly tell me what it is, how to
get rid of it and how to prevent it I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

Answer
Marlee,

I was hoping that you had sent a picture of this white/brownish stuff speckled on a few of the leaves but ecspecially on the leaf in the middle. Without a picture I can guess from your descripion that is is an insect called fern scale. To verify that you can go to the followig website and look at their pictures-
http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/inter/inmine/Scalef.html

Read the site thoroughly if that is what your problem is. Scale is a difficult insect to control. The site reccomends dormant oil spray. I would reccommend you use a spray of rubbing alcohol full strength in a spray bottle and spray the plant thoroughly every 4 days for a month. Make sure you spray the area the insects are in heavily and the rest of the plant lightly incuding the surface of the soil. You have to do this consistantly to kill any eggs that hatch. Otherwise they will just keep coming back. The alcohol will kill any insects on cantact if it is onthere heavy enough to soak through the hard shell that covers the actual tiny insect. Be consistant with the spraying and you can get rid of them. Good luck.

Darlene