Please don't forget plain horticultural oils, as well as the Neem. And you should be aware that these oils can do damage to the smallest of the predators, so if you plan to purchase and release such insects, best to do so AFTER you have done a couple of thorough applications of the oil of your choice. I'd also like to re-emphasize that it is very important that you get these products to the underside of the leaves. I've found that improper applications can equate to a big waste of time and $. It would be worth bringing up one of the most important factors in successful Integrated Pest Management: avoiding altogether those plants that are especially prone to specific pest problems. You've learned the hard way (as most of us have, lol) that IF you have gardenias and certain hibiscus, you WILL have a whitefly problem! These plants tempt them in to the rest of your landscaping, too. In my mind, this means that I might allow myself ONE gardenia, rather than several, but I will be sure to position that special plant where I can get the most enjoyment out of it. By the way, when I lived in coastal SC (8b), the yellow sticky board resulted in the death of those wonderful little green anoles. I had put some up in my greenhouses and returned the next day to find (to my horror) that the anoles would jump to the cards to get the whiteflies! I tossed the entire box away that morning. If you have the lizards where you live, it's something to think about.

You might also like the databases at Dave's Garden. There's a plant database, and a "plant finder" (which helps you find a vendor), and scads of photos, and a place to make comments. I'm happier here at the Gardenweb Hosta Forum for any commenting or chatting I want to do, and the Hosta Library is always the place to start, but Dave's is pretty darned good. Here is a link that might be useful: Dave's Garden

Note the poster used the words "fortunate to have access to this book" and "interlibrary loan". To get access to this book that I have not read yet have zero doubt is a "treasure trove of information" for vermicomposters, do not pay $100. Visit your public library and as the poster suggested ask the front desk to order it for you from another library. They would be ever so happy if you did this. If that does not work visit, e-mail, or call a state college library in your state with your state ID. Ask at the front desk if they can get it for you and if you as a citizen of the state can take it out. Or check Amazon.com for a used copy, maybe for $10? It seems to maybe be a college text. Maybe one of those sell your college text here places might have it for $20. If that does not work post here again and somebody else with have even better ideas than me. Nobody should be paying $100 for the book unless they have a worm business or are way into the hobby and want to keep it around the worm office for reference. No doubt the other two names are way famous wormies too but I am thinking Clive A. Edwards is the big wormie now a days. I could be wrong. This is probably doctorate level and commercial production level stuff. You guys can handle it. Reading here was your worms 101. This is what the big boys read. This is the stuff people read and then it filters down to our forum level. Thus we had Kelly who explained all this higher research level stuff to us from even some of her own research. Possibly, sometimes people on a forum will work on new techniques and it will get tested by somebody working on a Masters or Doctorate level degree. I could be wrong and if somebody posts a correction to this I agree with them in advance. Great post. Oh and thank you for taking the time to put up a picture of the cover of the book. It lent a good quality to the post to see the artwork. This post was edited by equinoxequinox on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 1:03

WOW!!! I haven't come into this forum in a long time and the first thread on top looked tasty. I'm sure glad I was hungry, PSYCH!!! Hopefully the next thread will be better and the next time I come in this one will have dropped from the top. See ya, Kelly