ScaleDead or alive?

I had recently purchased 2 Osmanthus, (one for a friend) and discovered this scale. I called the place where I had purchased them and they said that they KNEW but the vendor had already sprayed them. When I told him that I had been reading that scale was hard to eliminate--he said it shouldn't be if using Hort oil. He said that I shouldn't send the plant to my friend until I knew it was gone. His method of determination was this: if it scapes off easiliy it is dead.

I have never 'knowingly' delt with scale before and do not have hort oil nor want to contend with it. He has offered me a refund, but we really want the plants. What would you do? Plant and hope for the best? Destroy? Remove every infected leaf and send to my friend?

Much Thanks!

I'm not sure if that's scale--typically scale will show up as bumps along the branches--sometimes they can be on the leaves too but anytime I've had them they were always on the stems first and they were larger than that. I'd first try giving the plant a good bath and see how much of that stuff you can wash off. If whatever it is is dead, then it won't come back, but if it does come back then you know the problem's not solved and you need to spray it with something.

Thanks ecrane.
You may be correct, now the originating nursery is saying that it may be whitefly eggs that has been treated. With such infestation, it would have to be a heck of a big bath for the 2 plants--using soapy water in a big pail and toothbrush? Sounds like a tendious job to say the least! Which is worse, scale or possibly unleashing whiteflies? Do you know if whiteflies and/or scale can be harboured in the soil as well?

I am even more sure now that it isn't scale, so I think whitefly eggs is probably a better possibility (although I've never seen whitefly eggs so I don't know for sure that's what it is). Is it warm enough outside to take them outside and blast them with the hose? If not you can just put them under the shower or in the kitchen sink, I think the eggs should come off pretty well so you shouldn't need the toothbrush and all of that. I'm not sure if they can be in the soil or not, but it wouldn't hurt to repot into some fresh soil if you've got some around. Otherwise just keep an eye on the plant over the next few weeks and see if you start to notice any further activity.

If those were mine, I would return them post haste and get my money back. You don't want to deal with this. It is very unlikely that you will win. Scale and white fly are both extremely hard to control, and you have a very bad infestation. If they were growing in my yard, I would yank them and throw them away.

This message was edited Feb 27, 2009 9:26 PM