How to Treat White Rose Bush Scale
Rose scale insects are tiny pests 1/8 inch in length, according to the Olympia Rose Society. These pests can invest your white rosebush and be difficult to detect. Look for insects that are white, brown or gray on top of and underneath the leaves. Scale insects produce a substance called honeydew, which attaches itself on leaves, blossoms and stems. Fungal spores, such as sooty mold, can get stuck on this substance. An infested rosebush therefore may be covered in a dark powdery substance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Examine your rosebush for signs of a scale insect infestation. The leaves may look yellow, wilted or curled. You may see a line of ants coming to and leaving the bush. Ants protect scales in return for eating their honeydew or the substance they secrete.
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Dip a pair of bypass shears into a mixture of 70 percent denatured alcohol and 30 percent water. Remove heavily infested or damaged areas from the bush. Make a 45-degree downward angled cut back to a healthy outward-growing bud.
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Remove all damaged or dead debris underneath the bush. Debris can harbor scale insects or fungal diseases.
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Spay the bush with horticultural oil. Horticultural oils can kill scale insects, especially if they are in their crawler stage.
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Reapply the horticultural spray. The spray is only effective until you irrigate or the next time it rains.
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Tips & Warnings
Apply horticultural oil in the spring to help prevent a scale insect infestation.
Avoid using dormant oil or dormant oil emulsions if temperatures are under 32 degrees Fahrenheit or over 90 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent injuring the plant.
