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More than a hundred tiny, white, half-round balls cover the woody branches of a small broadleaf evergreen shrub (don’t know its name) in my border. They are appearing also on my heavenly bamboo and barberry. When I dislodge one with my finger, I see the underside is orangish. What are they? Are they harmful to my shrub?
These are wax “scales,” so-called, formed by an adult female insect who has laid hundreds of eggs that will hatch in May! Yes, they are harmful. Wax scales injure plants by removing large quantities of plant sap. Sticky honeydew, secreted by these scale insects is colonized by a fungus called “sooty mold,” causing infested plant parts to turn black and unsightly. If your shrub had only a few scales on it, you could just dislodge them on a sunny winter day with your fingertip. If your shrubs have lots, spray twice a week with horticultural oil for three weeks starting in early May.
The bricks in my yard are getting more and more slippery. I have tried power washing, but it is tedious and does not provide any long-term help. Next, I tried a bleach solution, but the fumes rose and turned leaves of the nearby trees brown. What can I do to clean the bricks without killing the plants whose roots, I know, run under them? My husband and I are fearful of slipping.
Horticulturists consulted say that some sort of algae is probably making your bricks slippery. They recommend a newish product called “Zerotol.” It is hydrogen-peroxide based, not harmful, and is sold by the gallon in stores that sell garden pond supplies.
A Christmas cactus arrived at my house, in full bloom, just before Christmas. What care does it need?
It likes bright light, but no direct sunlight – and long, dark nights. Move outside to a shady location in summer where the temperature can be lower than 80 degrees F – or else keep inside. It can bloom several times a year. After blooming, it must rest for 30 days in a cool (50-60 degrees F) dark place. New buds set when day length is equal to night length and the temperature drops to the 50s. At all times, it needs high humidity (set it on pebbles in a tray of water), cool temperatures (between 50 and 60 degrees F), and very careful watering (only as needed, and less water before bloom time). |
