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Gardenia Tan Leaf Spots: Scale or Whitefly Treatment

39-year-old gardenia has small tan spots like paint splatters on leaves.

Diagnosis: Scale or Whitefly

Shake branch: whitefly clouds = whitefly. No clouds = scale. Both cause similar spots (honeydew/sooty mold).

Treatment

Spray horticultural oil (SunSpray) or biorganic oil at dusk (protect bees). Cover tops and bottoms of leaves. Repeat weekly—improvement by 2nd application. Gardenias respond well to this.

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