[clare]

Happy new year to all. Some advice please? I have a beautiful, varigated, 10 year old weeping fig. Through the years it has withstood all sorts of abuse from, starvation, dehydration and pot-binding to relocation to a new country of residence! - and all without complaint. It is now homed and has been properly looked after for the last 3 years with love and care in our large, south facing consevatory which, for the most part it loves. Recently though, the leaves have become horribly sticky. It has no infestation of any kind (that I can see) and I can't work out why, over the last 6 months, this has happened. It was repotted last summer and seemed to flourish after that- although it was becoming sticky before the repotting. Would temperature variance be a factor? The conservatory is large and can be very warm with the sun and colder at night - though the room is centrally heated so the difference is not that extreme. Any ideas please?

[James Kilkelly, was GPI.]

Sticky leaves say Honeydew to me.

"A sticky substance known honeydew may be produced by the scales and deposited on the foliage as a sticky sheen. Under damp conditions the honeydew can be taken over by a black fungus known as sooty mould, causing a really unpleasant look to the plants."

See the piece I wrote on honeydew and scale insects here...... Honeydew and scale insects.

Look for the small scales and see if you can attach a few pics of the affected plant to your next post for conformation.

[clare]

Yes, that'd be it I'd say. Can't do the picture thing I'm afraid but I read your linked article and there's no doubt that's what it is. Thank you for the info.