Dealing with Tea Scale
The first rounds of tea plants have been delivered to volunteer hosts in states around the country as part of FiLoLi Tea Farms and our Tea Across America campaign. We are excited to see so many new "Ninja Tea Farmers" showing to the world that the US can grow amazing tea. It's been fun to see photos of these plants in the snow, keeping warm inside, and enjoying the various climates of the US. With this great fun comes great responsibility. Camellia sinensis is a resilient plant, but also demands sepcific conditions such as a high moisture, acidic environment. Tea Across America hosts have learned these conditions first hand having to water their plants with bottled distilled water.
The newest issue that has come from our Tea Across America hosts is Tea Scales. According to North Carolina State University Department of Entomology "Tea scales occur primarily on the undersides of leaves. The most conspicious characteristics of an infested plant is yellow splotching on the upper leaf surfaces, an effect of feeding insects underneath. The whole plant may appear unhealthy, and the leaves drop prematurely. The number of blooms decreases or cuttings may die before roots develop.".
After we received an email inquiry from one the Tea Across America hosts we asked Nigel Melican for his advice on the subject and potential ways to combat Tea Scales, here is his response:
Scale insects, unfortunately, these sap suckers are very common on Camellias though less so on tea when bushes are grown close together. However, if you only have one bush there is no protection in number! Instead buy some methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol from a pharmacy. Using a cotton bud dab the alcohol generously on the insect; If it is dry and hard you may have to repeat this to get it under and through its waxy shell. In a day or so the scale should rub off easily with fingertip or if squeamish use a dry cotton bud or a dry cosmetic sponge. Try not to get spirit alcohol too much on the leaves or they may burn where it contacts them. This will be unsightly but not life threatening. Keep your descaled plant in a humid atmosphere to help prevent re-infestation.
