Question
QUESTION: Mr. Alonzo,
I live in NYC and have an amazing but crowded 2nd fl garden.  I have rose bushes, honeysuckle, blueberries, lilacs, silverlace, climbing hydrangea and morning glories. In the middle of last summer I noticed so many black "dots" on top and on the underside of most all the green leaves.  I don't know if it was responsible for my 4 year old hydrangea being mostly devastated. The lilac and silverlace leaves were eaten. The only plants not affected were the roses and honeysuckle mostly.  With the exception of the hydrangea everything came back this spring.  Do you know what this is? And is there something I can do before this happens again or an insecticide I can use?

ANSWER: Hi Wendy,
Thanx for your question.  Would you be able to show me a picture?
thx,
Tom

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QUESTION: Not yet we've only just begun Spring and I pray I won't have this problem again this year!  The black dots didn't appear until late summer. They are somewhat raised and even a little hard (could they be some kind of larva?  It's just there were so very many on so many leaves.

ANSWER: Hi Wendy,
Thanx for the additional information.  It sounds like a form of scale which is a living pets that protects itself with a hard shell. You can spray for them but the spraying is usually only effective before they form their hard covering.  You can use a horticultural oil in the form of a spray to control scale insects.  I hope this helps.
Tom

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QUESTION: Thanks so much Tom.  Wow I never even heard of "Scale!"  I don't know what a horticultural oil is, can you suggest one?  And can this spray be used frequently as a prophylactic measure in advance of any infestation?

Answer
Hi Wendy,
Thanx for your question.  I generally don't endorse any one product but I'll give you an idea of what to look for.  Check out this link.

http://www.amazon.com/Monterey-Saf-T-Side-Horticultural-Oil/dp/B001RPVUCY

You can do a Google search for horticultural oil sprays or go to a trusted nursery or garden center and ask them to recommend a good one for you.  Yes, you can also use the horticultural spray as a preventative measure.  Follow the directions on the panel.
I hope this helps.
Tom