Sick gardenias

 Hi All

I have a couple of gardenias which look nice & healthy but have white
cottonwool type of bug & the other is the leaves have brown spots
developing.
My choice of sprays has been confidor which I have applied rather liberally,
but seems to make no difference.
Thanks
Sandra

 

Try a white oil it will smother the mealybug. You may also have ants
harvesting sugars and bringing more in so tackle those too. A syrup madeup
of 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup hot water 1 tablespoon borax 1 tablespoon boracic
acid which is boiled for 2 -3 minutes and cooled. Just dob it around where
you see ant trails they will soon disappear.

Also look at whether your soil is alkaline. Gardenias are like camellias and
azaleas where they like acid soils. If you are near the beach suburbs
replace it with something else you'll have no hope.