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White funk growing on my palms!


palmcurry

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Hi Vince. It's just mealy bugs. They're the most benign pest you can have in my opinion. A spray of water will blast them off. A soap and water spray also works good too. They have a waxy coating that the soap breaks down easily. Nothing to worry about.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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You are just starting. Do not go any further. KILL them! NOW! Soap is perfect but make sure to repeat in two weeks. Squishing them with you fingers is a sure fire way too. They have eggs behind though so they will keep comming back if you don't retreat. Quick before they get worse KILL THEM!

I DIG PALMS

Call me anytime to chat about transplanting palms.

305-345-8918

https://www.facebook...KenJohnsonPalms

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DON'T TOUCH MY (white) FUNK!

Just had to say it.

So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

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Yeah, I see the scale now too DeanO. Keep the ants, who harvest and propaate them, away and they're easily controlled by spraying a jet of water at them and washing them off. They're not that small, they are the fuzz and leave the fuzz all over too. The scale is more of a defined circle.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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I find mealy's to be a serious pest in the greenhouse. They get down into the growing point of palms or deep into the caudex of cycads and eventually kill them when seedling size. They are hard to kill too when deep in caudex or growing point because the white hairs prevent insecticides from penetrating to kill. It usually takes a few sprayings plus a systemic to get rid of them.

Outside they are not so much an issue however.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

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Len, you're right about that "white hairs" or what I described as a "waxy coating". Spray a soap/water solution over them first, then apply your pesticide. The soapy water penetrates that outter fuzz and wax.

I've switched almost entirely to soap and water in the greenhouse. I do spray pesticides every once in a while, but not much anymore. I liked the smell of the pesticide and I thought, hmmmm, that's not good. If I'm smelling it, that means I'm inhaling it, which probably won't hurt you if you do it every once in a while, but if I keep doing this plant growing thing for many years, I don't wanna be inhaling that stuff for years. So I spray soap and water all the time. It's super easy and harmless to humans. I pretty much spray every day or two as I'm looking over my plants, I just spray them off.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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Good for you, Matty! I also use soapy water, or oil to cut off their oxygen supply; so no real problems needing chemical insecticide. Works great on mealy bugs, scale, and on other plants, aphids. You can just feel their horror as they melt away! :drool:

Gig 'Em Ags!

 

David '88

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Mattys just trippin again...

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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I use Murphy's Oil Soap, about a teaspoon to a quart of water. Mealy bugs are reasonably delicate, but scale may require a few more spritzes. I also use Neem Oil ocasionally with good results, but soap is cheaper.

Randy :)

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

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I use Murphy's Oil Soap, about a teaspoon to a quart of water. Mealy bugs are reasonably delicate, but scale may require a few more spritzes. I also use Neem Oil ocasionally with good results, but soap is cheaper.

Randy :)

Yeah what Randy said, just use some of that Funky Cold Madina oil. :mrlooney:

Ed Mijares

Whittier, Ca

Psyco Palm Collector Wheeler Dealer

Zone 10a?

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