Using Scale systemic

dtreesj

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So, I finally confirmed that my ficus has scale, so I bought some stuff to handle it. I got some contact spray and a systemic because I have a bunch of other plants to deal with.

I was wondering what to do with systemic runoff water. I always have a lot of bees in my grass so I'm afraid to just dump it outside somewhere.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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Spray it on the foliage instead of the roots.
A good systemic will be taken up by the foliage.

This way you'll avoid runoff dangers.
 

dtreesj

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Thanks, I probably should have mentioned it's in granule form, but you gave me the right idea of how to handle it. I have a big plant that I can dump it into, the same way I use up fertilizer runoff.
 

Firstflush

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So scale is a skin breather insect, so a hort oil (smother) and soapy water spray should work. Ahead of time use a butter knife for 15 min to scrape the big stuff off. This is all if you wanted to avoid using a systemic.
 

sorce

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Aye.... sounds odd to have a fear of anything good, so it must be bad!

The entire soil to sun is a system.
Systemic...
Systemicide!

Don't kill the system!

I had a semi-bad scale on my Benjamin 2 Winters ago, gave it a scrape job with some Neem I reckon right before going out in spring.

Summer didn't see it gone, but this last winter's problem was not as bad, I've left it unaddressed all winter and still haven't lost any design options.

If we are not losing design options due to pests, we should not fret.

Seek balance not antibalance!

Sorce
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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I haven't been successful with either oils or soapy water, especially juniper scale can be tough to get rid of because oils can and will damage the foliage.
Scale and mealy bugs are the only reason I poses systemic insecticides, and they're the only target I use systemics for.

A closed off spray cabinet made from a plastic container, put the plant in, spray, lid on, wait 45 minutes, take the lid off. Very little environmental damage.

A good system like @sorce mentions only works if there is an entire system present. Yellowstone without wolves is an entirely different system than it is with wolves. Our backyards, especially in old places like Europe, have no balance. There's blooms and extinction, that's it. To create a balance, there have to be both prey and predators. The prey shows up first, as always. But if the predators never show because they have no prey on their migratory path, or simply because the location is fenced, it'll become an issue. A predator that has nowhere to go, will go hungry and die.
If the prey is allowed to keep multiplying without selective pressure for the environment, the prey will eat the land bare for themselves and their offspring. Much like what happened in the Oostvaardersplassen
If we dive deep into the balance/antibalance system, and we'd adhere to it from the actual starting point.. Then we wouldn't be getting more plants. No added plants means no tipping of the balance, which means no more bug blooms, which means no more predators needed. That's not mental gymnastics. It's rather plain and simple. But try telling people that.. I wouldn't land well.
So we tip the scale one way, now we'll have to tip it back a little. That's balance too. And after some fiddling, the system will start rebalancing itself.
I haven't had to use systemic insecticides in 350-400 days or so. But since there's a fungus die-off due to drought in my backyard, I reckon this isn't going to be a nice year. Ants have retreated, aphids are less present, even the lawn mushrooms haven't made their fairy cicles yet. It'll be spider mite galore for the first time.
How does one find balance in that? 5+ weeks of drought, while these months should be the wettest of the year.
 

dtreesj

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Aye.... sounds odd to have a fear of anything good, so it must be bad!

The entire soil to sun is a system.
Systemic...
Systemicide!

Don't kill the system!

I had a semi-bad scale on my Benjamin 2 Winters ago, gave it a scrape job with some Neem I reckon right before going out in spring.

Summer didn't see it gone, but this last winter's problem was not as bad, I've left it unaddressed all winter and still haven't lost any design options.

If we are not losing design options due to pests, we should not fret.

Seek balance not antibalance!

Sorce
If it was outside I would leave it.

If it was even just on the ficus I would leave it because it doesn't seem to care that much, but they're starting to leave goop on all my other indoor plants. Also fungus gnats are out of control all of a sudden and the same systemic should also wipe them out.

Also it's a systemic that's formulated for potted plants, so I imagine it's not quite as crazy as other ones.
 

canoeguide

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You probably know this, but if you've got a problem with fungus gnats, your soil is too organic and/or too wet. You don't need a systemic to treat that, just different soil or more careful watering. (Or "mosquito bits".)

Bonide houseplant insect control granules (imlidacloprid) has worked well for me for armored scale. It might be overkill or the lazier option, but it works. I don't see a giant problem with using it on container plants that don't flower (or won't be allowed to flower) and may not even be outside.
 

dtreesj

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You probably know this, but if you've got a problem with fungus gnats, your soil is too organic and/or too wet. You don't need a systemic to treat that, just different soil or more careful watering. (Or "mosquito bits".)

Bonide houseplant insect control granules (imlidacloprid) has worked well for me for armored scale. It might be overkill or the lazier option, but it works. I don't see a giant problem with using it on container plants that don't flower (or won't be allowed to flower) and may not even be outside.
Yeah that's what I bought.

I suspect the gnats originated from one of my Jacarandas which is also loaded with springtails, which means the soil is really organic.

Also I usually don't have a problem with overwatering (usually it's underwatering) but I think some of my soil is so old that the organic components are in advanced decay.
 
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dtreesj

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As you can see, the soil I have for my Jacaranda isn't really wet, it's just moist like a cake. This used to be coir but it has really broken down into actual dirt.

(don't worry, I keep my ficus in lava rock and pine bark)

20220505_231802.jpg
 

sorce

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It's easy to gain the system when you change your mind.

Your mind was already telling you.

Sorce
 

dtreesj

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It's easy to gain the system when you change your mind.

Your mind was already telling you.

Sorce
Well, I haven't used it yet so maybe I'll try without it first. I bought a couple other things that are safe because I also have some edible plants to deal with, so I guess I can try that first.
 

newby

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I have scale on several little trees including pomegranate, German myrtle and Japanese holly. "dwarf pagoda". These guys have so many tiny leaves it is impossible to wipe each one down with rubbing alcohol, and I have had bad luck spraying with neem oil and alcohol. What systemics are you using?
 
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