scottamuss, Thanks. I'll go ahead and post it here... By the way, I feel soil quality is more important than water. Far too many gardeners over water. Take the time to learn that there is not a "cure all" for every pest at every stage of it's life cycle. Some won't work if it's going to rain. Some don't work well if it's too hot, etc. Pest management is complex, if you wish to use chemical products, do so responsibly which goes further than reading the label. If you want to learn, a good place to start is here: Integrated Pest Management This lecture is presented in two parts. Each part is 90-minutes in length. Recorded in Sacramento County in California's Sacramento Valley, this lecture is by Mary Louise Flint, Ph.D., Director, IPM Education and Publications, UC Statewide IPM Project and Extension Entomologist & Cooperative Extension Specialist. Education: B.S. Plant Science, University of California, Davis Ph.D. Entomology, University of California, Berkeley Appointment: 100% Cooperative Extension Research Interests: Integrated pest management of landscape, agricultural and garden pests; biological control of arthropod pests; alternatives to pesticides; adoption of alternative practices by practitioners; innovative delivery of pest management information. Topics discussed in the Integrated Pest Management Lecture: * IPM references and resources * Preventing pest problems * Natural common enemies * Making less toxic pesticide choices * Controlling aphids, scales, caterpillars, coddling moths, tree borers, snails and slugs, and lawn insects. You can watch the programs now online: Just make sure you have Real Player installed or download it free. Integrated Pest Management Part1 90 minutes Integrated Pest Management Part 2 90 minutes You'll want to bookmark the following link to Professor Flint's Lab Research on: Controlling Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Vegetables and Melons I promise you'll learn one or two things to put in your gardening bag of pest management arsenals. ;) On Watering Some people want to customize the water for every plant. It's ambitious to try to give each plant the exact amount of water it needs but not practical or necessary. Even if someone gave you a chart, it would still depend on the quality and friability of your soil as well as the stage of the plant. So long as you have good drainage, the plants will take what water they need. General rule of thumb is that gardens require one inch of water per week by supplementing rainfall. You will have to adjust throughout the season and be attentive to the amount of rainfall you receive each week. There are two schools of thought on watering. Frequent shallow waterings or less frequent long, deep waterings. The general rule of thumb is that mature plants need 1-2 inches of rain per week in summer. You should provide whatever portion of this moisture is lacking. One inch of rain equals 65 gallons per 100 square feet of garden space. But this is just a guide. Time of the season, stage of the plants, soil composition, and many other factors affect the amount of water required. Be consistent during fruit production. Mulched plants require less water than plants that are not mulched. Raised beds require more than non-raised beds. If a good amount of compost is incorporated into the soil, less water is needed. Compost holds 6 times it's weight in water. Watering too frequently and too heavily is just as hard on plants as too little water. Roots require oxygen just as much as they require water and nutrients. Dry winds dehydrate plants. Cooler temps require less water. Those using drip irrigation whether from a soaker hose or milk jug are likely getting the best use of their water which is going right where it needs to go and the ground has time to absorb it. There are hundreds of methods of watering. Whatever you do, just be consistent. But I do agree, twice a day sounds like too much. Roots require oxygen equally as much as they require nutrients and water. I personally believe in a couple of deep waterings per week with the use of 2 inches of mulch to reduce evaporation and maintain a more stable soil temperature. Plants recover from dehydration much better then they ever recover from the roots being suffocated by drowning so under watering is better than over watering until you get the hang of it. Oxygen is equally as important as water and nutrients and rain water is always better than municipal tap water.

i had one that stumped me for years.. someone finally walked thru.. and said it was cat .. go figure on that.. its finer than yours .. i have had a couple buck rubs.. it bigger than your damage a south facing could be a form of winter sunscald .. that side of the tree thaws in mid winter. and a scar develops ... if they were larger transplants .. it very well could be nursery damage.. either at field digging.. shipping. transporting to your house... etc.. i swear.. it can take a year or two for the injury to actually 'show' ... could be kids .. but we are talking baseball bat attacks ... all over the yard.. it would have to be a real hoodlum to go at them like this.. nothing younger than a teenager ... possible??? the deep scratching could have been raccoon ... or you.. lol .. you know.. when it all boil down.. trees heal themselves.. its called compartmentalization ... the borers are the only issue .. grubs are not a tree thingee ... others can talk about that .. but basically.. solve that ... and then quit picking at them .... and leave them alone.. an do their own thing.. i have had dozens.. if not a hundred ... of these mysteries over the years.. its a good topic to waste some beer on.. but you are never going to get a definitive answer.. IMHO ... a they say.. stuff happens ... life aint no disney movie ... ken

I, too, worry when someone is guessing about the dosage of a pesticide. It's dangerous for the applicator as well as for the environment. The responsible use of imidicloprid pesticides requires knowledge of the most effective timing as well as making certain that the dose will be correct. Another factor that worries me is that some insects are developing resistance to this class of pestides (neonicotinoids) . But the biggest headache is that these chemicals have proved to cause a population explosion of pests after the effects begin to wear away. This ends up causing increased problems....and more pesticides. I strongly advise that our original poster wait for several weeks to see if there are any positive results. By that time, the trees will be preparing for autumn. I also suggest that he/she call the toll free number found on every label to ask for advice. Know the identification of the pests and the measured circumference of each tree. Be honest with your particular dose. I'll bet that you get lots of help. I agree that the 'lint' insects are not whitefly but hackberry wooly aphids. You might not be observing or recognizing other pests, as well. Don't you think that it might be time for you to call on a professional? An ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified arborist is required....not any 'tree guy '. One of the most effective control measures is horticultural oil applied in the winter. This treatment smothers the eggs of many pests, breaking the cycle. I doubt that any professional will spray acephate everywhere and Bt is useless on whitefly (or wooly aphids, for that matter).

Spanish fly, it's almost that time to start thinking about putting yours in cold rooms. Crazy right? Where does time go. I have enjoyed many of your picture through this past summer.) Well, mine are all up on my flat roof and sprayed for the last time. Please no one get me wrong, I am not a huge fan of using chemicals on anything at all except my succulents and only sprayed in a limited area when they are all confined. This is why I am a huge user of fish emulsion which does a fantastic job on all my plants unless I miss one here or there which always happens. This chemical spray is a back up since I refuse to loose anymore come January or February and only to be caught of guard. For touch ups, or pop up issues if one should arise , that is where the Safer Soaps come in handy which I keep a constant supply of. Mike