Question
I have a cylamen plant that has begun to bloom quite nicely, but lately I have noticed that the leaves have become very sticky and noticed that the area around the plant was also full of a stickiness almost like when a pine tree leaves sap on things under it.  Is my plant sick?
What should I do with it and are the other plants around it at risk?  I would really appreciate it if I could hear from you soon. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Jane
It sounds as if your Cyclamen may have either scale or aphids, more likely scale.  Scale attach along the back sides of leaves and along stems and are small, oval and brown.  They suck the sap out of plants and secrete a sticky substance called 'honeydew', which you will see on and around the plant.
They have a hard shell, which protects them from most pesticides.  You can try taking a q-tip with rubbing alcohol and wiping the infested areas.  You can also try spraying with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water.  Malathion works best as far as a spray goes, you can get that at your local nursery.  You can also go to
Ortho.com
to find out the proper way to use this chemical.

Hope this has helped you Jane and good luck!

Leslie