Houseplant Disease

Question

I have a second plant that seems to be covered in sticky, sugary sap and I found brown dirt on the underside of a new leaf. How can I get rid of the pests or disease that is affecting it? An umbrella plant I had recently lost all its leaves, which yellowed and fell off, and I noticed the stickiness on that also.

Answer 1

It sounds like an issue with scale bugs. This article will help you with that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/scale-bug-how-to-control-plant-scale.htm

We would also suggest using neem oil to treat the scale, as it is quite effective and safe. This article has more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm