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+-- Thread: scale insect on my Korean Spice bush (/showthread.php?tid=19005)
scale insect on my Korean Spice bush - coloredthumb - 04-30-2008
Hello, just discovered "scale" on my Korean Spice bush - Help? Does anyone have a natural treatment?
Re: scale insect on my Korean Spice bush - IntrepidMeredith - 05-01-2008
If the scale is still in its crawling stage, you can take care of it with insecticidal soap. Once they've attached themselves to the plant and secreted their protective covering they are much harder to get rid of. You'll need to resort to a horticultural oil spray. If you're into releasing natural pedators, you can give green lacewings, ladybugs or hoverflies a try. Yarrow, Queen-Anne's Lace and scented geraniums are alternative foodsources for these beneficial insects, so planting them nearby will help to keep the beneficial isects in the area (and attract new ones to the area) after they've finished off the scale.
If worse comes to worse, cut off the infected branches (do not compost them), and keep a vigilant eye out to catch any lingering pests while they're still in the crawling stage. Good luck!!
Re: scale insect on my Korean Spice bush - IntrepidMeredith - 05-01-2008
Also, if the infestation isn't too bad yet, or if you're very patient, you can try one of these more labor intensive methods:
1) Hit the shrub with a strong stream of water (will work better against unattached scale and will need to be repeated several times).
2) Wipe down the affected branches with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol and/or a strong soap solution.