Scale on Weeping Willow: Baking Soda Won’t Work—Use Proper Insecticide

Baking soda and Ironite won’t control scale on a weeping willow. Scale insects require targeted insecticides applied at the right life stage.

Effective Treatments

Dormant season: Horticultural oil on bare branches.
Spring/summer: Spray when crawlers active. Options: malathion, dimethoate (Cygon), acephate (Orthene), carbaryl (Sevin), bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, resmethrin, insecticidal soap.
Systemic: Soil-applied imidacloprid (check local nursery for tree-labeled product).

Cover both leaf sides and all twigs/branches. Timing to crawler stage is critical for contact sprays.

Plant Diseases: Weeping Willow with Bark Loss and Deformity: Internal Decay, Removal Advised; Weeping Willow Red Spiky Patches: Adventitious (Air) Roots, Not Borers—Harmless, Dry Up; Black Scaly Substance on Willow: Soft Scale Infestation; Weeping Willow Decline: Roundup Drift vs. Borer Damage; Weeping Willow Borer Infestation: Identification and Treatment; Weeping Willow Near House & Drain: Root Concerns & Growth Regulators; Curly Willow (Corkscrew Willow): Unique Form for Year-Round Interest; Chinese Weeping Willow: History, Medicinal Uses, and Landscape Value; Dwarf Weeping Willow (Kilmarnock): Perfect for Small Gardens; How to Plant and Establish a Weeping Willow Tree Successfully

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