I have the same problem. I did NOT get one peach off my 2 trees. NOT one! I just learned this. Take 1 part peanut butter, 1 part Plaster of Paris and some olive oil or salad oil should work. Mix up good and roll in little balls. DO NOT, I say, DO NOT add water as that will make the balls hard and you want them to eat them before they get hard. After they drink water they will harden and can't go to the bathroom and will die. It will work on rats, mice, squirrels. Just have some water near so they can get a drink and hopefully put an end to my misery! Home Depot has Plaster of Paris, someone said walmart has it (maybe in craft dept) Getting some in 2 days and can't wait to try it. I guess anything that likes peanut butter would eat it so keep away from pets and farm animals as it will construct their bowels too. .

Knowing what engine etc. would be very helpful.... You are probably having trouble with the brush holders. Sometimes you'll see a "pin hole" in the holder where you can slide a thin wire (straightened paper clip) in to keep the brushes retracted enough to get them started. Sometimes a piece of string (sewing thread) can be used if the case is "vented" near the brush holders. Other times, a long, thin screw driver can be used. Just barely ease each brush SLIGHTLY over the commutator at a time. Just stay CALM and things go better.

Tom, Why *before* the dormant stage? Why not *during* the dormant stage? For the same reason we cut back the citrus after fruit production. Since we get little in the way of frost the extra growth prior to the dormant season will theoretically make the tree stronger through the dormant season and give it an extra kick after the end of the next dormant period. Tom - should I prune the branch back as noted below? Bill, don't cut it off flush at the trunk, leave 6" of the fork, exposes the tree to more disease with a flush cut and weakens the tree. The real point is that if left with that much asymmetry the tree will either topple in high winds or continue to break off due to the imbalance in weight....I see another tree to the left in your picture, no problems with it? I grew up just south of Ulmerton, my sisters went to Largo but after they built Seminole I was in their district...now I'm out here near Weedon Island. Tom

You're such a sweet ... well-behaved ... lad, Ron. o j P.S. The machine rejected my message ... as I'd already spoken once. So ... I changed the subject line to " ... took every stinky thing ...", but realized that she hadn't said that the things stunk, so it would be inaccurate, so deleted that word ... and it let me Preview, so I expect that it'll register, as well. Interesting. (still) o j