Leg, I don't know about Canola Oil or any other oils for that matter..I guess if you used a a small amount it wouldn't hurt..
But, I was told by Ruth from Harris Nursery, to use Fish Emulsion..it contains natural oil and fertilizes at the same time..
It's worth a try..
I did this with my own citrus trees as a preventative this fall. I guess you can try plucking as many as scale possible, then try the FE..
Be careful when using oils..Some ppl use them to shine leaves of tropicals and have had problems after..(in place of leaf shine) Good luck, Toni

I got hold of "orange guard", I *think* it's very cat friendly, I'll be trying it out on my next weekend.

As I'm indoors only this time of year, Fish Emulsion isn't exactly the most desirable solution to my problem.

It's funny you caution me so heavily on the use of oils, horticultural oil is the first thing to pop out of people's mouths when I say "scale". It's like a sort of pavlovian reflex, scale=neem.

Legray, living in IL, I too bring plants indoors during winter months..
Since FE is very mild, doesn't burn roots and organic, using it as an insecticide will not harm plants of any type. Even during winter months.
The reason I cautioned you about oils is, the last few months, after talking to people and reading posts from those who use horticultural oils, I've heard/read their plants' leaves dried up, fell, and they're now having many problems. Before that, I too considered oils safe.

I have to worry about what I use because I have birds who sometimes fly and land on plants..so anything harmful, (harsher than FE or any oils) is out of the question.
But as far as Canola oil, or any other cooking oil, I would think it'd too heavy..
Good luck whichever route you take..Toni

Doesn't JoeReal have some Canola oil concoction that he's posted here before? Are you out there JoeReal?

Yes I am here every now and then. My concotion is simple. You have to mix 50% canola oil and 50% Ultrafine oil (horticultural oil, or volck oil) then follow the recommended ratios to control your specific pests. It is important that you mix the oil first before mixing with water for increased solubility. I found this to be more effective than the Ultrafine oil alone, and cheaper too. One pint of canola plus one pint of ultrafine makes it twice more ammunition but not twice the price.

And again, just like the ultrafine oil, follow directions for citrus or specific to your plant, don't overdo it. If you overdo it on your citrus, severe leaf drop is the result especially coming towards spring.

Damn, I don't have access to horticultural oil. I'm just going to have to try the "Orange Guard" and hope that it's not a kitty killer. It *seems* safe...

I wrote to them asking:

I have a scale problem with my indoor dwarf lemon tree, and my cats tend to nibble on the leaves they can reach. I think itÂs possible they even enjoy the flavor of citrus, however unlikely that is, as the leaves are of course very lemony when theyÂre crushed. Would your product be safe to use on the tree in such circumstances?

They replied with:

A 4 parts water 1 part Orange Guard dilution for scale. Orange Guard is edible plant extracts and water but tastes very bitter. I doubt the cats will like the taste.
Thanks

legray - Orange Guard is USDA food grade. It's basically a concoction of water and citrus oil. If your citrus tree isn't dangerous to your feline friends, I doubt the Orange Guard would be.

Yep, that's exactly what my previous reply/quote said, didn't it? Oo

I'm going to apply it on monday, when I've the house to myself and I can properly fend off the cats. Nontoxic or not, they're horrible underfoot. They're especially underfoot if I'm carrying a heavy piece of furniture or television. *laugh*

>>Yep, that's exactly what my previous reply/quote said, didn't it?Uh, no. LOL... I tried. Surly to bed, surly to rise in the great state of Alaska. Good luck to you and your cat.

>> "Orange Guard is edible plant extracts and water" Well, it *seems* to be the same thing, but yes, thank you for clarifying.

I'll be happy to be rid of the scale. It's not an all out infestation anymore, but I can't seem to actually be rid of it.

Thanks.

And I apologize for sounding "surly" to you. I thought I was being quite careful and polite throughout, but I realize that on the great world wide web, what you think write is not always what is read.

legray - No harm done. I chalk it up to differing social graces more than I do the world wide web. But that's just me. Keep us updated on your scale situation. I'll be interested to know how the Orange Guard works for you. I've used it for scale, mealybugs, spidermites and even fire ants, and it has always worked well. Plus, it smells good. And, no sick cats.

Recipe for homemade horticulture oil:
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tbs dishsoap
1 gal water

mix super well. Add to spray bottle and spray down your tree.
This has not been tested. I did make this concoction and i did spray down my citrus tree. I will post a follow up at a later date with results.