Help! I don't know what wrong with my Jade Plants

I have 3 jade plants and they are all getting this nasty white stuff on them and I don't know what it is. It typically starts as a few white spots on the leaves and then it goes really bad kind of like a mold on the tips of the leaves. I have been reading different places and I am so confused as to what it could be or how to treat it.

I am attaching a picture (hopefully).

The white substance is somewhat sticky when you rub the leaves.

Let me know what else I need to tell you about.

Thanks for your help.








THe leave on the left side of the pic has some of the little white spots. and then the leave on the right is what it turns into

 

Are there any bumps or scales on the leaves? Scale is a little insect that sucks sap from plants and then leaves a sticky white substance behind.
You can try washing all the leaves with a dish soap solution.Rub the little white spots to get rid of them. If it comes back I would get a houseplant insecticidal soap.

 

I don't think there are any bumps or scales. It just looks like tons of white stuff. It espically is located on the under side of it.

 

what do scales look like?

And how do I wash it with dish soap?

 

They can vary in color. Those first white dots you see could be them.
Use a squeeze of dish soap, say, in a coffee mug, add water, then you wash the plant with a cloth, or you can do (about a tablespoon)a squeeze with water in a spray bottle. Mix and spray all over. The hand washing liquid dish soap I meant.

 

Sounds like Mealy bugs to me. Take a cotton swab with some alcohol on it and wipe it off. This should take care of it.

 

I tried the alcohol a few days ago because I read that on line somewhere. But after I did that it seemed to multiple even more. That and the alcohol seems kind of extreme for the plants (like I said I am a very new beginner and fearful of hurting them).

I think I am going to try to do the soap thing. Should I keep them away from direct sunlight after the soapy water? And I saw somewhere say that they should do these treatments every other day for 3 months or something.

I know I am new and need really detailed instruction.

 

That's fine to use soap. I've been doing this for many years and rest assured it's okay to use the alcohol.
But with the soap it can be just as damaging if used too often. I would use it about once a week for a couple of weeks. or use some i-bomb.

 

Thanks

Whats i-bomb?

 

I-bomb is an insecticidal soap you can spray on the plant. It's pretty good stuff. Just follow the directions.

 

I washed the plants with the soap and water combo, and there is still some white stuff, but it looks 1000 times better.


And I think the plant has scales. Its kind of shiny stuff on the leave.

 

If you live "upstate" I will assume you have well water. It is considered "hard". One mineral that is very common is Calcium and it is a salt. Put them outside for the summer and see if the rain will flush the salt out of the soil. The little specks are probably the plant exuding salt. I get the same thing on mine, its just cosmetic.

 

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone.
I washed them with the soap and water and they are looking much better.

As for hard water, we are currently on city water, and probably for another year or two. However, when we buy our own home I will definitely remember about the calcium build up.

Thanks again