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Is there any hope for a schefflera with scale? I have thought several times I had it licked--wiped down the entire plant with soapy water, inspecting each leaf and removing the buggers as I went. I've tried insecticide sprays, but don' t like to use those things. Any ideas? Otherwise it is going to spend the entire summer outside and be left to freeze in the fall.
Thankfully, I have never had to deal with scale. Since you are in the US you have access to a systemic (Bayer for instance). I believe you water the plant with them and the poison is taken up into the branches and leaves and kills any bug that feeds on them. Have you tried those types?
Good luck with the Bayer. I have had scale on a ficus microcarpa for 1 year now and even the systemics never really seem to take care of it totally. I spray, use the systemic and run around with a bottle of rubbing alcohol with a q-tip and I am still plagued with them...my next move is to just let it freeze this winter...I am tired of having to keep it isolated all the time to avoid any scales spreading to other indoor plants.
