Azalea bark scale

Question: Do you have any advice on how to help my azalea bush? I think it has bark scale. The bush is located in the front of my house and gets morning sun. Only the branches closest to the siding has damage. I'm not sure of the age of the bush since it was here when I moved in.  I'm not sure if I should cut the dead branches. If so, can I use a hedge trimmer to cut them? Or would spraying horticultural oil be better? Thank you.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 20, 2024, 9:43 AM EDT
response: Unfortunately, due to the small file size that can't be enlarged, we can't see enough detail in the photo to confirm the presence of Azalea Bark Scale. However, if they are present, information on the linked pages can help you to manage them.  The shrub is growing very close to the house wall, which is probably the main factor behind its general stress plus vulnerability to scale infestation. Azaleas grow best in a location receiving dappled shade during summer, which soil that both retains moisture when the weather is dry, but which also drains well in wet weather. Soil up against a foundation tends to be more compacted, sometimes is under a "rain shadow" from an overhang, and might not be acidic enough for the preferences of the azalea roots. Reflected heat from the nearby wall, and its reduction of air circulation through the branches, can exacerbate other summer stresses.  Leafless branches are probably dead or too weak to keep, so they can be pruned off. The plant also appears to have been pruned too heavily or too often in its past, which is not recommended for azaleas (or any shrub, really, even those more tolerant of heavy pruning) since it can increase their vulnerability to the various issues above.  If the plant is only getting direct sun in the morning, that should be fine, but it will need more room to grow away from the wall, so another planting location (or moving it further from the wall) would be best. Rejuvenation of its natural shape could be done by pruning it back drastically next spring (just after flowers have faded) and allowing the regrowth, which will be slow, to fill in without shearing the tips. If moved, or even if it is kept where it is but the weather turns dry again, then it should be monitored for watering needs since azaleas are not very tolerant of drying out. Feel the soil around five inches deep, and water thoroughly when it becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If damp when checked at that depth, watering is probably not needed.)  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied August 20, 2024, 10:58 PM EDT
response: Thanks for the advice. I attached a few pictures to this email, so maybe that can help clarify if I have scale?I cut the dead branches from my bush and it's now about half its original size. And then I used a strong spray of water from my hose to remove the spider webbing and the white spots. I think it worked, at least I don't see the white spots anymore and I think I blasted away all the webbing too. Do you think scale can be remediated using just water?Thanks again  On Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 09:43:13 AM EDT, Ask Extension wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 21, 2024, 9:13 AM EDT
response: Thank you for the additional pictures; it does look like they could be Azalea Bark Scale. A strong spray of water may be enough if populations aren't too high, so you can keep an eye on them. Usually, water spraying isn't enough to manage scale, but in this case it might be enough to keep populations below a damaging level.  Miri