Young Avocado Tree (and older olive trees) Eaten by White Shell

[Alvean]

Hello Forum

Avotaco the second (that's his name) has sprouted on the 21st of August 2017. He is my biggest and nicest avocado tree and I love him dearly. Sadly some sort of white weird fungus shellish thing is eating it up. It has also been eating my olive trees (which I have a lot less love for) and it's been spreading over all my plants.

I have what you would call a black thumb. Its difficult for me to keep plants alive but i just cannot give up on avocato. Id really like to save all my babies. They went through a slight drough moment because i forgot to water them but I'm back on being good! Attached are pictures of the thing eating avotaco. Also if you can help on the leaves wiltering that's be great.
I just tried scrubbing them off with a toothbrush and diluted vinegar (with water 50/50) but im sure i must have missed some. They're literally everywhere.

Finally I leave in Egypt which is a zone 10 hardiness and I don't have access to a "local garden shop" which can give me any pesticide. If you know the chemical name that'd be a lot easier.


please help me save mah plants.

 

[Chuck]

Hello Forum

Avotaco the second (that's his name) has sprouted on the 21st of August 2017. He is my biggest and nicest avocado tree and I love him dearly. Sadly some sort of white weird fungus shellish thing is eating it up. It has also been eating my olive trees (which I have a lot less love for) and it's been spreading over all my plants.

I have what you would call a black thumb. Its difficult for me to keep plants alive but i just cannot give up on avocato. Id really like to save all my babies. They went through a slight drough moment because i forgot to water them but I'm back on being good! Attached are pictures of the thing eating avotaco. Also if you can help on the leaves wiltering that's be great.
I just tried scrubbing them off with a toothbrush and diluted vinegar (with water 50/50) but im sure i must have missed some. They're literally everywhere.

Finally I leave in Egypt which is a zone 10 hardiness and I don't have access to a "local garden shop" which can give me any pesticide. If you know the chemical name that'd be a lot easier.


please help me save mah plants.

Two things are happening. One, and probably the reason you have the second problem is that your tree is lacking in nitrogen, thus the yellowing leaves with yellow veins. This has weakened the tree so as to invite scale insects to infest the tree. Neem oil or dormant oil is what you want to kill the scale. You must make at least three applications once a week to kill them. They will not fall off of the plant quickly even though they are dead.

 

[Alvean]

Hello,

thank you so much for your swift reply. If I add the nitrogen in the ground, will it help fight off the scale ? Also should I put the neem oil directly, or rub it, or spray it ? I have also three other trees to do. Would spraying be enough or do i need to work it in with good old elbow grease ?

I just found a fertilizer which say 19-19-19 which stands for Nitrogen 19%, Phosphate 19 and Potassium 19%. Would that be recommended ?

I also found this product available could you please tell me if you'd recommend it along with the fertilizer ? https://egypt.souq.com/eg-en/g4-organic-insecticide-fungicide-5947400121/u/

Thank you again for your help

 

[Chuck]

Hello,

thank you so much for your swift reply. If I add the nitrogen in the ground, will it help fight off the scale ? Also should I put the neem oil directly, or rub it, or spray it ? I have also three other trees to do. Would spraying be enough or do i need to work it in with good old elbow grease ?

I just found a fertilizer which say 19-19-19 which stands for Nitrogen 19%, Phosphate 19 and Potassium 19%. Would that be recommended ?
Thank you again for your help

No, the fertilizer will not affect the scale now. If the tree hadn't been weakened from the lack of nitrogen the scale probably wouldn't have appeared. In Egypt I have no idea of what fertilizers you have. 19-19-19 is very high and not really what you want for avacados and olives but if that's all there is use it but only at a 1/2 rate three times per year until the tree regains its strength. Mix the neem oil 2 oz. per gallon of water and spray it once a week for 3 weeks on every surface of the tree. Both sides of the leaves, stems and trunk.

 

[Alvean]

No, the fertilizer will not affect the scale now. If the tree hadn't been weakened from the lack of nitrogen the scale probably wouldn't have appeared. In Egypt I have no idea of what fertilizers you have. 19-19-19 is very high and not really what you want for avacados and olives but if that's all there is use it but only at a 1/2 rate three times per year until the tree regains its strength. Mix the neem oil 2 oz. per gallon of water and spray it once a week for 3 weeks on every surface of the tree. Both sides of the leaves, stems and trunk.

Thank you so much for replying right now
I have attached a link with a fungicide I found too which seems to also be a spray on. The post is waiting to be moderated. Ill do as you said for the fertilizer. I also read somewhere that coffee grounds would be good to add nitrogen in the ground. Should I add those instead of getting a fertilizer ? Not add them if I get it ? add them along with the fertilizer ?

Also I just checked, I can't find any neem oil sold in Egypt

Thank you again <3

 

[Chuck]

Thank you so much for replying right now
I have attached a link with a fungicide I found too which seems to also be a spray on. The post is waiting to be moderated. Ill do as you said for the fertilizer. I also read somewhere that coffee grounds would be good to add nitrogen in the ground. Should I add those instead of getting a fertilizer ? Not add them if I get it ? add them along with the fertilizer ?

Thank you again <3

Don't EVER EVER buy products that are a dual or triple purpose. They do not perform as expected. You don't have a fungus. You have scale and shell excretions which have turned black. A fungicide is not what you need. Coffee grounds are great as a soil additive but they are not even close to fertilizer. By all means use both at the same time.

 

[Alvean]

Okay so the plan so far is:

Add fertilizer to the ground
Add Coffee Grounds to the ground.
Now... Since I don't have neem oil. Would the Fungicide/Pesticide work ? Or any other oil ?

Also I have read that submerging the plant 4h in water would kill anything on it. Should I try that ?

thank you <3

 

[Chuck]

Okay so the plan so far is:

Add fertilizer to the ground
Add Coffee Grounds to the ground.
Now... Since I don't have neem oil. Would the Fungicide/Pesticide work ? Or any other oil ?

Also I have read that submerging the plant 4h in water would kill anything on it. Should I try that ?

thank you <3

You have hard scale/armoured scale. Pesticides don't do much of anything to them and fungicides or worse than useless. They must be smothered, thus coating them in oil. You can also use horticultural oil, dormant oil or mineral oil. I've never tried drowning insects much less hard scale and I am not about to try.

 

[Alvean]

You have hard scale/armoured scale. Pesticides don't do much of anything to them and fungicides or worse than useless. They must be smothered, thus coating them in oil. You can also use horticultural oil, dormant oil or mineral oil. I've never tried drowning insects much less hard scale and I am not about to try.

Okay so no pesticide.

Would unscented baby oil be considered a mineral oil ? Also I saw some people do their own dormant oil by mixing canola oil and castille soap. Would you recommend that ? I'm so sorry for asking so many questions I just want to do this right once and for all.

Thank you <3

 

[Chuck]

And no fungicides. I cannot recommend mixing canola and castile soap as I have never heard of doing it. In fact I have never heard of Castile Soap. It may work, I just don't know but I know Neem and dormant oil does.. On thing about dormant oil. It will burn leaves if applied in the afternoon so always apply it early AM. Neem will too, but not as severe. If you want to do it right order neem online. Dormant oil, mineral oil, horticultural oil are meant to be used during a trees dormant period although you can use it at other times.

 

[Alvean]

And no fungicides. I cannot recommend mixing canola and castile soap as I have never heard of doing it. In fact I have never heard of Castile Soap. It may work, I just don't know but I know Neem and dormant oil does.. On thing about dormant oil. It will burn leaves if applied in the afternoon so always apply it early AM. Neem will too, but not as severe. If you want to do it right order neem online. Dormant oil, mineral oil, horticultural oil are meant to be used during a trees dormant period although you can use it at other times.

I will be trying the mixing of soap and oil as this is all I have right now. It seems to be exactly what you described from the research I made quickly. I just doused my plants with it as it's currently 3:46 AM so it'll have time to dry before the sun hits them. Since you said three applications a week I'll do them every other days
Ill update you on the state of the tree especially after I get the fertilizer Wish me luck

 

[Becky]

The post is waiting to be moderated

I've approved it now for you

 

[Alvean]

Hey.

So I just checked on avotaco this morning and found those browning leaves on brand new ones. Do you know what is going on ??

 

[Chuck]

Hey.

So I just checked on avotaco this morning and found those browning leaves on brand new ones. Do you know what is going on ?? View attachment 51753

I can't be positive but it looks like it is staying too wet

 

[Alvean]

I can't be positive but it looks like it is staying too wet

Chuck you're a life saver.

While I was waiting for your answer and I checked online and I also saw that it could be the chlorine or hardiness of the water which caused this. Im letting it dry out over the next few days as we have a weather up to 33 degrees celcius these days