I just found scale on my pears, apples, and Meyer lemon. They don’t bother my Key lime or Ichang lemon. Right now they are hatching on the leaves and still in the soft greasy form, a good time to stay vigilant! Anyone else having this problem, or have a good recommendation? Besides going over every individual leaf with Neem oil like I just did 
1 Like
When I’ve had scale on my citrus, it’s always gone away after I could get them back outside. Either they were happier and more resistant to the scale, or something came and ate the little buggers.
4 Likes
Good to know! Maybe you have a lot of lacewings or ladybugs in your yard.
I can pick them off the apples and pears at this point, but my lemon is turning yellow and dropping leaves. This is the second year in a row that I have to wipe every leaf down and scrub the bark. Maybe you can send me some of your bugs!
2 Likes
Dormant oil is very effective against scale. If it is really bad I first rub limbs with a garden glove on, then I hit with oil to get any remnants. You can also spray oil in growing season at a lower dose, or use insecticidal soap.
3 Likes
Thanks @scottfsmith! It gets so hot in NC that I’ve gotten leaf burn from spraying neem oil. Does dormant oil also cause leaf burn?
If it is in the 80’s or higher don’t spray oil. Just wait for a bit cooler day. It evaporates in a day so only a short cooler spell is needed. Spray summer oil in the summer, dormant oil is only for dormant trees. Most hort oil sold is dual-purpose these days.
4 Likes
Great, thanks! Now we just need some days that aren’t in the 80s
I had some scale about a month ago on my potted lime tree. It’s true that they do better once outside.
I hit them with a mix of oil and soap - the soap washes off the sticky stuff
Good to know! My citrus have been outside since January. We had an especially warm winter this year, which maybe had something to do with the uptick in scale. Everything grows in the south, for better or worse.
1 Like
My husband has a greenhouse (of sorts). He is fighting scale on his citrus, too. Really bad this past year! I will share the info you guys have given, here. Although I think this is what he has been doing - and still losing the battle. We took a potted Meyer lemon outdoors last summer . . . and it still bit the dust.
I think he has the greenhouse too crowded - and just not tidy enough. It promotes a lot of problems. But . . . that is ‘his domain’. If it were mine, I would have built it differently - and handled the plants differently. 
2 Likes
I think if I had a greenhouse I would crowd it with all kinds of plants too 
2 Likes