There is more of it this year.....the trees are bigger. Seriously, I think this on and off winter/spring that we had slowed things down and everything dumped their pollen during a shorter period of time to get ready for summer. "They" say that heavy pollen falls mean more acorns and pine cones for the squirrels to lay up nuts and seeds for a cold, cold winter. In zone 8b/9a, the pines seem to be finished and the oaks just getting started.

Sorry, but you can forget them now. Neem is very short viable. After about 4 weeks, they are done. I tried seeds from 3 different suppliers and they were all not fresh enough. Bought some seedling last year and I have a 6 f tree and some smaller ones now.

This has been a wonderful place to share thoughts and concerns, mostly about quilting. I seldom interact with other women locally, let alone quilters, so this gave me a connection via computer at all hours of the day to women with like minds. I'd drop in just to see what was going on and hear what was accomplished. It makes a wonderful, trusting connection. I'm grateful for the lessons and support and consider you all friends, some even more so as I've met them in person. Cindy, the retreat is open to any or all of you on this forum and is in October at a YMCA camp in North Carolina. It is a way for any who can come to meet up face to face with people they read messages from all year long. Room and board is cheap and you bring your own projects. We help each other, eat, talk about quilting and share experiences. This year it will be Oct. 7-10 and you can google Camp Cheerio in NC to see the venue. You'll hear more about it toward summer and we'd love to see you. Jennifer in VA is unofficial chairperson and she'll send out a notice.

Lie others have mentioned. most Austins do tend to blow quickly, especially in the heat, even on the bush. My weather is going to be different from yours- no over wintering issues at all here, and it gets nasty hot/dry in summer. Better ones for me have been Mary Magdalene (keeps flowering, I get several flushes a year). Redoute, sport of Mary Rose ( likes it a bit cooler, and does blow a bit quicker than MM but flowers a lot). Pretty Jessica lasts well; can be a it flower shy unless she is happy (sulked a bit last year but has been blooming lots since repotting ) Tess of the D'urbervilles lasts better than some and blooms a fair bit for me too. ohh and I get some good flushes out of Prospero too. Not sure what to make of Munstead woods- it shot out a triffid like cane, last year which flowered profusely this spring, but havent had a bloom since! it does have a few autumn buds on it at present. I suspect it needs to go in the ground to do better, but I haven't got anywhere to put it really ( it wasn't supposed to get this big!) Claire Rose is supposed to be one of the longest lasting (can be used florist style apparently) but as it was a blackspotty balling mess for me, I chucked it pretty quickly. It does do well for some people tho.