I didn't notice until a week ago the white stuff growing on the stems. I decided to give it a week to see "what would happen," but I am afraid I was too late. Most of the leaves had turned brown. SInce it was a bush in a bad place for a bush, I went ahead and pulled it out. What is the white funk and do I need to worry about it spreading to other bushes? How can you control it if it does spread?
Thanks!
Tabitha
Here is a picture of more of the bush.
I think you've got mealybugs. Some years they are worse than others. Josephine gave me a rememdy for my last war with them that worked for me. I used a mixture of alcohol, water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. I sprayed every few days until they disappeared. They spread fast, so don't wait to treat. They can massacre a garden in a short time. They loved my copper plants and salvias, especially the Black & Blue salvia.
Good luck.
Crow
I second the mixture of water and a touch of dishsoap. Works great for all kinds of pests! Never have used alcohol, though.
I looked at pictures of mealy bugs in my organic gardening guide, and this stuff doesn't look like the picture of mealy bugs. It was more crusty not bug looking. If it is scales, how would you treat it?
Tabitha
Mealy bugs go through different stages of development where they look different. It may not be mealy bugs, but Google mealybugs and select images and you can see different stages. If you're still not sure, maybe someone else will chime in here, or you can take an infected stem to a garden center to have them verify what you have.
Good luck.
