bLACK SOOTY DEPOSITS

I HAVE MOVED A 4 YR OLD ELIAGNOUS ( WRONG SPELLING)VARIAGATED SHRUB LAST YEAR TO A SITE WHERE A VERY OLD MAHONIA DIED FROM HONEY FUNGUS, WHICH IS PREVALANT IN MY GARDEN. I HAD REMOVED THE SOIL FROM THIS SITE AND ROOTS,AND PLANTED THE SHRUB IN NEW SOIL IT HAS SEEMED OK. BUT SLOWLY THIS BLACK SOOTY DEPOSIT IS GOING ALL OVER THE LEAVES AND I DONT KNNOW WHAT IT IS - OR IF IT IS RELATED TO HONEY FUNGUS. CAN ANYONE HELP.PLEASE!

 

tHANKS, BUT WHAT DO I DO TO RID MYSELF OF IT?PLEASE..... THANKS

 

Dont think the sooty mould can have any connection with the honey fungus, probably as WOO says, scale insect.

 

Spray with a general insectercide.
A systemic one.

 

A general insecticide if its sooty mold - but if the black does not rub off, then you could be looking at discolouration from the stress of the move.

 

Please advise what insectercide I shlould look for, is it something which kills insects?I have seen something called Systhane fungus fighter - would this be the sort of thing? By the way It will rub off on ones fingers and there does not appear to be anthing on underside of leaves.So I am still unsure of what to do with it. thanksB4 CVM

 

Although, we are assuming the black deposit is probably sooty mould, and created by a fungus, it does actually grow on the sticky deposit left by various insects, aphids, scale insect etc.
So the idea is if you kill the insect the sooty mould will dissappear of it own accord.
So you need something that kills insects on ornamental plants, Systhane is a fungicide so not really what you need in this case.
I'm not very well up on whats available these days, not much really due to most of the effective ones being withdrawn, If you ask in your local garden centre, they should be able to reccomend something suitable.
Alternativly read the label, and look for a systemic insectercide for ornamental plants.

 

Bug Gun is good for me - as an insectacide - there are greener ones though. You need to check them out reading the labels. What your looking for is something that will kill aphids.

 

It`s not an insecticide you need if it`s sooty mould. What you need is a fungicide. Sooty mould is caused by aphids depositing something called honeydew on the leaves. The sooty mould fungus then grows on this. Spray with a fungicide ( it doesn`t need to be systemic), leave for a couple of days and then you can wash the black off, sooty mould is not normally fatal to a plant.David.

 

Thank you David -it makes more sense to me -I have sprayed with insecticide - without any result, it just felt that it needed a wash of something to me and this sounds the ticket. fingers crossed - although both having been applied, I'll never really know!! Carol

 

You can actually remove sooty mould with washing up liquid, but if you dont kill the insect creating the honey dew it will just reappear.
Sotty mould in its self does not do the plant any real harm, its just unsightly.
The insect causing the honey dew, however, does.

 

Oh! O.K. - Thanks.CVM

 

Carol sooty mould will wash off with a solution of washing up liquid as Pete says or a 3% solution of bleach in water, rinse the shrub off when you have finished

 

HI AGAIN - MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS -I HAVE SPRAYED WITH BOTH SPRAYS AS SUGGESTED AND NOW A WHOLE LOAD OF LEAVES HAVE DROPPED OFF! ANY THOUGHTS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE BEFORE THE SHRUB BECOMES COMPLETELY DENUDED - PLEASE?? B4CVM