Question
Hi - I have been trying to grow a good sized Gardenia bush indoors.  It survived the PA winter inside nicely.  This spring I noticed a siny sticky leaf.  Now, my plant is totally heavily covered in whitish dandruff, and dropping tiny brownish specs all around it.  The levaes still look OK - nice and green, but this can't be right.  Is there seomthing I can do to get rid of this stuff?  Am I missing doing smething to maintain the plant in a healthy state?  Would I be smart to mist spray wash it down? - or put it outside fro the summer?

My other question is on starting gernaiums.  I tried to start a large number of them in peat pots.  They either rotted or shriveled up and died.  I used root hormone on them and store-bought pottign soil.  Any idea where I might have gone wrong?
Many thanks -
Fred

Answer
Hi Fred,

If the leaves are sticky, then that is caused by the secretions from either scale, mealybug or aphids. I cannot tell from your vague description which it is.

The key to successfully eradicating these creatures is to also spray the ones that are out of sight. That means that whatever treatment you select, you must get complete coverage, to the drip point, of all leaf and stem surfaces. If you miss a few, they will live to breed another day.

I do not recommend any pesticides because they are all hazardous to use and not 100% effective against mealybugs. The best non-toxic treatment for mealybug is called Brand X foliage cleaner (Yes, that's for real). It is available through Southwest Plantscape Products in California (www.southwestplantscape.com ). Their phone is 1-800-333-7977. It is a silicon-based product so it is very slippery. Its ability to penetrate is probably the key to its effectiveness because it gets into the tiny crevices that other sprays miss.

You may want to try spraying with rubbing alcohol. Mix 1 part alcohol with 5 parts of water and add a squirt of liquid soap. Be sure to spray all leaf and stem surfaces thoroughly. The common practice of applying alcohol with a Q-tip is not effective because it misses the ones you can抰 see. It is also best if you repeat this treatment again in 5 to 7 days to catch any crawlers that you missed the first time. After that, you should check your plant weekly to see if they return.

Never spray in direct sunlight or when temperatures are above 75 degrees. It is also advisable to test any spray on a few leaves as a test before you spray the entire plant. Wait a few days following the test to see if there is any negative reaction to the spray

If your Geranium cuttings are rotting, it is because the soil is staying too moist around the roots. This is more likely to happen with peat pots. I suggest that you root your cuttings in water first and then when the roots are at least an inch long, move them into small pots filled with a peat-based potting mix. Allow the top inch or so to dry in between waterings.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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