Kristi, it could well be your garden is drier and hotter than your friend's. As with aphids, you can frequently see pockets of infestation, where much of the other area seems unaffected. It all depends upon how sheltered the spot is. Anything which increases the humidity, protects from intense sun, restricts air circulation so it increases the "green house effect", making the area milder, more "nursery like" which is to their liking, can cause a proliferation of them in smaller (or larger) areas. I won't generally have issues with aphids here on this hill because there is nearly constant, at least, breeze and often wind. Not far away, in more sheltered places, on the same day, same weather, nearly same elevation, there will be insect and disease issues I simply don't have because I don't have as much of the "green house" situation. I will experience a bit of it in the front, walled garden where there are only a few hours of direct sun, the walls and dense foliage increase the humidity and mitigate the intensity of the heat, causing it to feel more humid and milder, but the rest of the area is windy, hotter and drier so they don't have the bug and disease issues the walled front area is guaranteed to. You might have just a few pockets of problems remaining after the heat hits. If your friends have more shade, more evaporation from dense foliage, less air flow, they may have repeated cycles of them where you may only have one or two. Nature doesn't live by calendars, clocks or geographic location (usually), but by conditions. If the micro climate supports the "problem" and what's necessary to enable it is provided, it will occur. Usually the west San Fernando Valley here has NO Giant White Fly because it is HOT and DRY, but a few summers ago, we had a very humid period and there were Giant White Flies all over the hibiscus where historically there never have been. In the Santa Clarita Valley, where I used to live, saw fly and giant white fly have never been known as it is always too hot and too dry with winters far too cold to support them. But, one summer, in a walled rear garden where there was frequent irrigation, no wind, higher humidity and filtered sun due to the trees, there were saw flies and giant white flies. None elsewhere in the garden and none on the neigbors' plants that I could see evidence of. It's like fungal issues, yours could be clean and next doors' terrible, without any preventative measures taken. It all depends upon conditions which support the outbreak. Only time and observation will tell for sure. Another 'wait and see' situation. Kim

thank you all for your kind words. And on another rose-y note...because of the wet May we have had, the men that come to do the annual weed whacking and brush cutting haven't been able to get here. And the old hill side, all full of oak and white pine shoots/saplings, puckerbrush, escaped Canterbury Bells, wild strawberries and who knows what else - the mild winter or whatever allowed some of the roses that were planted fifteen to twenty years ago and mostly forgotten are poking through! There were enough Celsiana to cut and bring in, plus a rugosa hybrid, Apart, plus something pink that couldn't be, shouldn't be, but might be Reine Victoria, buds not open yet but that was the only other pink one I remember. The gifts of this weird New England winter that wasn't, then May behaving like April...

Another grower with Perfect Leaf Phobia. The damage isn't harmful to the plant and is mostly cosmetic. Ignore it and save your money. Don't run for an insecticide every time you see insect damage. If it kills insects, it's an insecticide, organic or not. After 7 years of not spraying and ignoring insects and their damage, I have few insect problems. The many predatory insects in my garden as a result of not spraying pretty well take care of any bad guys. The larva of some predatory insects and all butterflies eat foliage. Contrary to what's said about spinosad, it will kill any foliage eating worm or larva, including those of butterflies and beneficials. These little critters can't read so are affected by it and the spinosad can't differentiate between a good insect larva and a bad one. Even the Safer's products and home remedies using oils or soaps will suffocate or destroy the natural protective coating of beneficials. I don't walk past my roses, I ride my mobility scooter past them. If I see insect damage, I go faster. I'm usually the only one who sees it as most others who view the roses do it from the street as they walk or ride past. Those who have stopped and smelled the roses have never commented on any insect damage they may see meaning any concern about insect damage is personal. The only comments I've ever received regarding insect damage is from judges at rose shows. Passers by viewing the roses only comment on the blooms. They seldom look at the foliage! Get excited about midge or chili thrips that destroy the blooms or kill the plant, not a few sawfly larva that eat a some holes in the leaves. Even skeletonized leaves will grow back. Just remove them if you need to.

Hi all, Actually, I think this is a very good question. The two organic means to control sawfly larvae that I've seen are insecticidal soap and Hort oil (I guess they are both considered organic?). Cornell mixture has Hort oil in it. We wanted to spray with Cornell, AND we had (have) sawfly larvae, so we thought we'd see if it helped. I think (from memory - please don't go by me for these amounts) the Cornell mixture says 2 Tablespoons Hort Oil per gallon. The Hort oil says 2.5 - 5 Tablespoons per gallon for insect control (and it lists sawfly larvae). My husband sprayed with the typical Cornell amount - 2 Tablespoons. He drenched Heritage, which is being eaten alive by them, including the undersides, and they survived. Hmmm. So - it might have worked, but he didn't use enough I guess. The next week I sprayed with Insecticidal Soap (Concern), drenched them. No sign of them on Heritage anymore (what's left of its leaves), but I did see some still on other roses I treated. Rather frustrating. So - is there any harm in just upping the amount of the Hort Oil in the Cornell mixture to kill two birds (or rather, one bug and one fungus) with one stone (or spray)?? Can I spray Cornell again or just Hort Oil within 2 weeks of the first Cornell application? Any thoughts on that? Judy G. in MD