Camellia Scale, Aphids, and Pests: How to Identify and Treat Them

Camellia Scale, Aphids, and Pests: How to Identify and Treat Them

Start with prevention: healthy soil, proper spacing, good drainage, and regular scouting. If pests appear, identify them accurately, then choose your treatment thoughtfully. Horticultural oil and insecticidal soap solve 95% of camellia pest problems. There’s rarely a need for aggressive chemicals. Most importantly, don’t delay. That’s the mistake I made, and I won’t repeat it. … Read more

Aphids on Camellias: Natural and Chemical Controls That Actually Work

Aphids on Camellias: Natural and Chemical Controls That Actually Work

Every spring, I do a slow walk through my garden with my morning coffee. One April morning, I stopped dead in front of my ‘Debutante’ Japonica. The new growth looked wrong — curled, puckered, and coated in a sticky sheen. I leaned in close and saw them: hundreds of pale green aphids on camellias I’d … Read more