 Growing Gardens
with Anita Morton
Full scale slaughter
 Image:
NSW Agriculture
One of the most insidious pests of citrus trees is the white louse scale. This
minute creature lives on the bark and sucks sap. Eventually, an infestation of
this scale will cause long splits in the bark of the branches, leaf drop, die
back and serious debility of the tree.
White louse scale afflicts all types of citrus, with one notable exception.
The imperial mandarin seems to be at least partially immune to the pest, so if
your goal is to have no-maintenance fruit trees, this might be one to go for.
The scale will infest the rootstock however, so keep an eye on the base of the
trunk.
White louse scale is a bit difficult to spot if you don't know what to look
for. Get in under the canopy of the tree and search the major branches for tiny
oval freckles that are white (as the name suggests). They can be scraped off with
a fingernail, and under the scraped off patch you might see reddish-brown ovals
that are a little larger. These are the females, and the white ones are the males.
Once you are sure that this scale is your problem, you can control them. Unlike
with other scale insects, white oil has little effect. Sulphur spray is the answer
- you can use either lime sulphur or pure wettable sulphur (if you can find it).
Lime sulphur should be used at a rate of 50ml per litre of water, and pure sulphur
at 5g per litre. Don't try to use ordinary agricultural sulphur, which is granular
and doesn't dissolve well. Whichever spray you use, be aware that it will pong
- but hold your nose and make sure you cover the whole tree. Do it now as sulphur
sprays should only ever be applied in winter.
Lismore Garden Club News
The next meeting is Thurs, Aug 4 at the Lismore Workers Club from 1.30pm. Visitors
most welcome. For info phone Ron on 6624 7422 or 0421 021 451.
The July social outing will be a barbecue lunch next Thursday, July 21, at
Rocky Creek Dam from 11am. The cost is $6pp. Bring a cup, plate, cutlery and folding
chair.
Those of us that live on the warmer areas around the plateau should be preparing
the soil for spring planting around the first week of August. Those of us that
are located on the lower lying areas can leave soil preparation until mid August
and start planting in the first week of September or later when the soil temperature
is a little warmer.
With the mild, wet winter we have been experiencing, I have noticed that there
has been a lot of snails, slugs and even big brown grasshoppers in the garden
here in Goonellabah. There has also been the odd butterfly. So if you notice the
telltale chew marks on the leaves of your plants it's time to take action to short
circuit this activity.
We have had perfect weather conditions for fungi to take hold.
Gardening tip: To make natural fungicide use two cups of whole milk, half a
cup of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of bicarb soda. Emulsify with the kitchen
blender and spray onto affected plants.
Finally: "Apprentice yourself to nature. Not a day will pass without her
opening a new and wondrous world of experience to learn from and enjoy."
- RW Langer.
Happy gardening
Ron Burns
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