Lots of landscapes are being affected by black sooty mold. Everyone wants to know how to get rid of this mold, but what most people don’t realize is that it’s actually growing on a clear, shiny substance called honeydew. Honeydew is a byproduct of scale, an insect that lives in the landscape. The honeydew falls on the plant material below and mold then grows on the honeydew. If you treat the scale, you will get rid of the issue. By spraying with an insecticide, this will kill the scale. You may need to gently wash the honeydew off of the plant if it doesn’t clear up on its own. We hope this helps! Check out our Knowledge Base for more tips: https://matthewslandscape.com/search