Question
Hi - I've had a small (2.5') ficus tree for a number of years - it's never done particularly well, but I must admit, I've never really put in the effort. I just noticed that there's white crust on the stems of many of the leaves, and white spots on some of the leaves. It flakes off quite easily.
Do you have any idea what that could be?

Thanks.

Answer
Tamara,

Let me ask you a question, when you first got the ficus did you repot it into a much larger pot? If so it needs to be moved back into a pot just a little larger than the pot it came in. Too large a pot causes root rot because the plant cannot use all the moisture in a week and get a few days of dry before you are there with water again. Being in constantly moist soil stresses the plant. A stressed plant attracts insects which is what I beleive you are seeing, either meally bugs or scale. Either one you treat the same. Get a bottle of rubbing alcohol and spray the entire plant every other day for a week making sure you get the fronts and backs of all leaves. Then weekly all winter to make sure they do not come back from eggs.

But as I said if it is in a pot that is too large it needs to be repotted into a pot that is a little smaller around than the top of the plant. It the top of the plant is 14 inches across it should be in a pot no larger than 10 inches and 8 would be even better. If you repot use fresh potting soil and mix extra perlite in it for better drainage. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene
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