---
title: "I’ve never used fertilizer before, and tried fertilizing my lemon…"
description: "I’ve never used fertilizer before, and tried fertilizing my lemon balm plant recently. Today I noticed these white spots - is this salt or something else? What…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/BAlhcvNhQzatWyxRCJGLLA/642375a0bdc8333892a3b4d2"
community: "Foliage Plant Haven"
author: "MM"
published: "2023-03-28T23:17:52.274Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/JitsUkdFHibUqd_SvBlkpDPoKb8uyf2D4XRPn7TmLuc/522f3f861ee0403d97b5b5e1cd3e951a.webp?size=large"
---

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# I’ve never used fertilizer before, and tried fertilizing my lemon…

_Posted by MM on 2023-03-28_

I’ve never used fertilizer before, and tried fertilizing my lemon balm plant recently. Today I noticed these white spots - is this salt or something else? What should I do?

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/JitsUkdFHibUqd_SvBlkpDPoKb8uyf2D4XRPn7TmLuc/522f3f861ee0403d97b5b5e1cd3e951a.webp?size=large)

## 4 comments

### Lucyfern commented on 2023-03-29

I’ve never seen this happen from fertilizing a plant. Could it be a fungus?

### ADDeejay commented on 2023-04-02

Wow. Resembles perlite. Which fertilizer did you use? Is it liquid or powder or

### ADDeejay commented on 2023-04-02

There’s something like this that happens near Arizona area. Not sure where you’re located but could be the same thing. If those are fuzzy and powdery when you touch them, it might be a tiny insect called a cixiid (family Cixiidae, pronounced roughly six-ee-iday). They say to use soapy water to spray them off (if it’s them).

### Mon commented on 2023-05-22

They are mealy bugs 😱 spray the heck out of it with 70% alcohol

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