Magnolia scale and Japanese beetle grubs - Ask Extension
My Jane magnolia has scale. It is under 5 feet tall and pretty small. If I scrape the scale off and apply a fungicide with a paint brush, will that sa...
Knowledgebase
Magnolia scale and Japanese beetle grubs #876437
Asked July 08, 2024, 8:52 PM EDT
My Jane magnolia has scale. It is under 5 feet tall and pretty small. If I scrape the scale off and apply a fungicide with a paint brush, will that save my tree?
The green “lawn” is crab grass and clover because the grubs ate everything. We began treating the yard with grub killer…milk spores; the stuff you use 3 times a year for 2 years. Since the grass is gone I want to have a pollinator yard. Can I plant wild flowers and native grasses now or do I need to wait until the treatment cycle is complete?
Any and all information is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Jill Fitzpatrick
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hi Jill,
Magnolia scale is very hard to control. Timing of treatment is critical, and varies every year depending on how the scale develops. If scale is confined to a few branches you can prune them off and get them off your property.
Here's more information:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/magnolia-scale/
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-61
You can plant your flowers and native grasses. Good luck.
