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Q: Are these white spots on my hydrangea a pest and how can I remove them? Oliver from Chelmsford
A: I personally think you have woolly aphid. A lot of people actually wipe it off, but if you have a big hydrangea that’s a pain in the neck to get rid of. Now, woolly aphid is quite clever because its an aphid covering itself in the ‘wool’ to protect itself. It’s like thistles are thistles to protect themselves and its the same principle. However, if you drench them with a good insecticide than you can get through that. Or if it is on a hardy plant, as long as you’re not damaging the bud or the flower, you can use a jet on a hose and wash a lot of it off. When you’ve washed it off, then would be a good times to apply a spray. Once its dried out, you’ve got to let the stem dry out.
The only other pest that goes onto hydrangea is scale.
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