Pest management is complex, 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. ;)

Catherine, I'm growing the A. californica, which I got last year around this time. I only have it in a pot at the moment - due to gopher issues and the fact that I'm still not sure where I want it - and a lady over on the CA forum said hers does well in a potted situation. It's still very small, and I paid about $6 for it at a small native nursery an hour north of here. It's in morning sun with dappled sun throughout the rest of the day. It probably won't bloom for me until at least next year, as someone posted, "The first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap." :) I've read that if they get too out of hand, i.e., tangled and/or huge, then they can be cut to the ground before spring growth starts. As far as I know, the pipevine swallowtail, specifically, is only attracted to Aristolochia as a larval food, but swallowtail larvae in general are attracted to many different plants. Brenda

I used Neem this spring and I've seen 8 dead and dying bumblebees on our rosebushes, within the last 6 weeks. There are several recent newspaper articles about a greatly increased mortality rate of bees in NOrth America. I wonder if the increased awareness of the harmful effects of artificial pesticides has led to an increased use of Neem,which is made from a culinary herb, and if Neem is what is killing the bees. I've gone back to using Cornell spray. I use a garlic, jalepeno,onion spray against thrips on my white and light pink and yellow roses. Luxrosa Cornell Spray. Prevents mildew, rust and b.s.. baking soda 1 to 2 tsps. I use 2 on the few roses which require the extra amount. 1 tsp. of canola oil ( it disperses in water) Thrip spray. 1/2 head of garlic (you don't need to peel it. 1/2 onion 2 whole jalepenos. 1 quart water. 1 tsp canola oil. Blend everything, let sit for 4 hours at room temp. Strain with cloth twice. Keep any extra in the refrigerator. Lux.

That was interesting,I will be using the computer to look up things in my free time too. I have tons of books but they've been reread too much as it is. It sucks that these bugs and pathogens can wipe out a country full of a particular tree. If oak wilt gets big like that I'll have a nearly empty yard.Maybe the white oaks will be okay. One thing though, I can see fertilizing to help vigor but wouldn't that make the foliage more attractive to leaf eaters?You hear alot of conflicting things about fertilizing. I bought a big sack of powdered seaweed, it's supposed to have trace minerals and good for all plants. I read the " nutrients" and it has 9% sodium.Sorry for dragging on, I'm gonna see what the soil, mulch forum think of the seaweed, there is some interesting stuff on there, too. poaky1