Young palm tree disease

[cherrycherry]

Hi, I would really appreciate some help with regard to my palm tree saplings (if that is the correct word for a young palm tree). Two are edible date palms and three are Chilean wine palms.
I have grown them from seed so I am quite attached to them; they are about three years old and about a foot high. I thought they were doing really well but recently they have developed a white flaky substance on them. I assumed it was a fungus so I sprayed it with a general fungus killer but it has not worked at all and they are now starting to turn brown. They aren't too bad at the moment so if I can get rid of the disease then I think they will turn around and be ok. I would appreciate any advice.

[Thunderbird+]

Hi cherrycherry,
It sounds like mealy bug, is it wooly looking and mostly in the leaf joints ?
Or are there chalky white spots which could be lime marks from spraying with hard water?
If it's mealy bug, it can be treated with a dilute of 'Malathion' every 14 days til clear.
If it's Lime marks, then revert to soft water or rain water.
Good Luck. Tbird+

[cherrycherry]

Thank you Tbird+
The disease is definitely the mealy bug that you describe so I will go and buy the Malathion tomorrow and apply it as you suggest and hopefully they will recover...they are still looking fairly perky so I'm sure it is not too late for them. Thanks again.