Gardener’s Corner

Gardener’s Corner

SCALE, IT’S A LIVING THING

That term seems odd to me for a living creature but there it is sucking the life right out of your houseplants. Scale-damaged plants look withered and sickly. Leaves turn yellow and may drop from the plant.

If left, they will kill it and move on to your other plants nearby. These little nasties also secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that attracts black fungus called sooty mold.

Young scale insects crawl to a feeding site, insert their mouthpieces and settle in. Eventually they lose their legs and antennae, develop a hard shell and stay put. Once they’ve formed that hard shell (the scale) it’s very difficult to get rid of them. The easiest thing to do is toss the plant.

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The Middle River Honker

655 2nd St. North
Middle River, MN 56737-4136
(218) 222-3501