Beware honeydew

Honeydew may sound like a harmless problem, but it can stunt and smother plants. Bob explains how to tackle it

-  Bob

THE first thing you’ll notice is stickiness underneath a plant. This is especially noticeable on polished or glossy surfaces as dust adheres. Alternatively, you’ll see lower leaves, stems and buds looking matt, dirty or muddied, almost as if they have been painted. This is an infection called honeydew – so called because, although it’s a bad sign on a plant, it’s sweet and irresistible to bees and other critters.

This honeydew is the residue of sap stolen by one of several offenders. Being sweet, honeydew (by itself almost colourless) becomes food for bacteria and fungi, eventually turning into a blackish paint. At this stage, the loss of light and aeration to the leaves becomes serious.