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<pre>> We have been thinking more about this.
> Earlier in April/May we started to get black scale on the leaves, as this
was getting more widespread we decided to spray with oil.
> We were encouraged to use ordinary blended vegetable oil (10% v/v)
emulsified in warm water and with household detergent as surfactant.
> We sprayed this (attempting with limited success to target the underside
of the leaves) on May 27th.
> We are now wondering whether, during each spraying cycle (from a 20litre
tank), the solution may have separated resulting in a stronger concentration
of oil at the end of the tank... this may explain the "oily" appearance
along the trunks of the worst affected trees.
> Looking in UC "Olive Production Manual" the leaves look now a bit like
the illustration of black scale...but we sprayed the oil to get rid of the
black scale and we can't see any sign of actual insects on leaves elsewhere
in the grove. Leaves on the badly affected trees are turning black and
falling off.
> We are concerned that the vegetable oil may have been a bad move...but
could it have CAUSED the problem we see now? Most importantly we want to
arrest/reverse the damage ASAP!
> HELP!
> Judith Leslie


I also had black scale & sooty mould on my trees. Although I sprayed and
cleaned up most of them (white oil / malathon) I was quite surprised to find
that the scale was not only still evident on some trees, but in some cases
still active is spite of the cold weather.

My experience has shown that 3 to 4 sprays, about 10 days apart, are needed
to break the cycle.

Mike Wilson.
Twin Trees Cottages.
Pokolbin.
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