Question
My plant is doing well, but currently in a resting period.  It's nice and full, and the leaves are shiny.  However, I noticed that there is a sticky film on my windowsill directly underneath my plant which is hanging.  The stickiness is the same way your fingers are when you take off the dead goldfish flowers.  What causes this?  I cleans up, but seems to be continuous.  The film was even on a plant I had sitting underneath the goldfish plant which I had recently moved due to the leaves dying off.  Could this sticky film be from too much or not enough watering?  Thank you!

Answer
Pam,

It has nothing to do with watering. That stickines is called honey dew which is the excrement of insects. Scale, aphids, mealy bugs and white fly produce honey dew. This is the 1st sign that you have an insect problem and if you treat it now it will be easier to fix but you will have to be persistent because the insects are.

The following sites have great info on insects:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef406.asp

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/bugs.html

I would mix a pint of rubbing alcohol with a pint of water and add a teaspoon of dish detergent and spray the plant thoroughly. Spray it every 3 days for a week then once a week for 2 months. Make sure you get the fronts and backs of all the leaves and the surface of the soil. Be very thorough every time you spray or the insect will come back from eggs that hatch. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene