Yes, Jeffrey; I've used Neem. I purchased it, initially, to control spider mites on some bonsai, but also used it on tomato and pepper plants, and zinnias...all to control diseases. (Contrary to Kimmsr's statement, it has very little affect on insects and other critters that do not feed on plants directly WHEN USED PROPERLY. Do not spray neem products on the eggs or larvae of beneficial insects (say, ladybugs), though it will have little to no effect on the adults.) Neem products vary in their ingredients. Some are mixed with an assortment of different oils and additives. phytotoxicity. I'm guessing that the problems you've experienced are because of the formulation you used. It's more than a little likely that the directions might not have been thorough, as well. I do follow the directions when it comes to appying in the middle of a hot, sunny day as well as any other caveats. I Damage can be caused by almost anything if we're not careful.

I've had reasonable results controlling rose midge and Japanese beetles with dual action Grubex sprinkled around the roses--granules containing Imidicloprid and Cyfluthrin--lots of blooms on every plant, though you can see signs of midge if you look for it. I'll also broadcast it on the yard to get the grubs of the dozens of JBs that are attracted by our roses.

That looks like midge to me. I've had it bad for years thanks to neighbor's weed-choked yard -- I treat my beds but the little bastards survive on the other side of the picket fence where my spray won't reach. Bayer Complete Insect Killer (imidacloprid/cyfluthrin) is the only thing I've found that puts a dent in them. I spread the granule form in early spring before mulching, water it in, then do occasional reinforcing shots with the hose-end sprayer liquid form during the growing season. I hate using chemicals, but if I didn't, I'd have no blooms. They are hard to eradicate because their life cycle is very short. The chemical kills the ones in the ground, but then the larvae drop out of the damaged foliage above and start a new generation every 10 days or so. You have to be persistent.

Hi Sam: Your setting doesn't allow e-mail, so I exchange info. here. Thank you for posting "Environmental reasons for NOT spraying .." in the other forum. In that thread, MichaelG accused Kimmsr of "being divisive and argumentative". I googled threads dating way back in Organic Rose, and found THAT'S NOT TRUE. Years ago, MichaelG accused me of being a "troll" and "fictitious character" ... then later apologized. There are Bayer-corporate promoters who do anything to shoot down organic posters. If you hang around in regular forums long enough, you'll find that the old-timers will put anyone who do things differently "on trial". The corporate sleuths are very aggressive, they even come into Organic rose to recommend Bayer spraying and chemicals to newbies. That's why I post in Organic rose to defend the guidelines that Gardenweb established for this forum.