Posted by Tom, St. Marys, GA on May 3, 2007, 8:20 pm, in reply to "sabal issues" My suspicion is that the scale is shipped north with the palm, especially if the Sabal is a hurricane cut adult, and the reason it gets really bad is that the natural enemies of the scale are absent or reduced in the Piedmont. Alternately, it could be that farther north, the ants that move scale around are more abundant/agressive in protecting it. I know that here in my yard, I rarely see a fire ant, but they are super-abundant in the Piedmont, particularly in disturbed areas like pastures, gardens -- and subdivisions. Keep applying the hort oil every two weeks. That will eventually get it. Also, control the ants in your yard and this too will help.
69.130.84.68
Scale on Sabal palmetto is especially prevalent in the northern reaches, for reasons I don't fully understand. Here on the coast there is scale to be sure on Sabals, but it never seems to get as thick as it does farther north.
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