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House Plants/I think my plant has chicken pox!
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Question
Do you know what these things are that suddenly appeared on my plant stems?
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Linda,
I can't tell exactly what your plant is but the "things" are an insect called scale. Under the hard shell is a bug sucking on the plant and laying eggs for more insects. You need to kill it and it's eggs. Take a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and flick each bug off into a cup of alcohol. That will kill the insects. Then take a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and sspray the entire plant making sure you get the tops and bottoms of all leaves. That will kill any microscopic immature insects that have not formed hard shells yet. Then watch the plant closely and if you see further signs of insects treat them immediately. You can also go to a garden center and look for a systemic insecticide that will treat scale and use that on your plant to destroy the scale. Good luck.
Darlene
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank-you so much for your quick and informative response. It was truely appriciated. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Darlene K. Kittle
Expertise
I have been a Master Gardener for 23 years and I raise around 300 houseplants and bonsai trees a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.
Experience
She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.
Organizations
Fort Wayne, iN Master Gardeners. President of the Fort Wayne Bonsai Club.
Allen County Master Gardeners
Education/Credentials
I am not a hortculturist. I am a Purdue University Master Gardener for 23 years. I have studied plants on a personal level by growing hundreds of plants annually for the last 35 years. I have also studied under several nationally known American Bonsai experts.
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