Hi Inquisitivecat. Wow, what wonderful answers everyone has contributed to your plea for help. I'm agree pretty much with all of the replies and think these folks are awesome. I would like to offer one other point of interest to help you hopefully in your quest for someone to honestly help you. I don't know your location so I'll just say this. Find out if there is a pond club in your area. If there is, go to one of their meetings and observe. Just see if you feel like these folks will help you. Pay close attention to the content of their seminars and see if you observe someone that has the knowledge you're looking for. It may take a couple of trips but usually there will be someone there who will offer to help you whether it be with knowledge or the recommendation of someone who can do the work. I'm here in Texas and I wish I could come and look at your problem. This is how our organization works, we help, not only our members but anyone who needs our help. I'm a hands on kinda gal and I've been learning about ponds, doing research since 1988. Our organization was developed in 1999 because I got sooo sick of bad information and people getting ripped off. I've been the club President for 12 years, took a four year break because my hubby was seriously ill and I'm back at it again. Our policy is lived everyday and I walk the walk. Our folks help everyone that needs a hand and we also help our elderly members if they need their pond cleaned because they aren't able to do it anymore so we believe in charity begins at home. I would start there and see if you can join an organization that will get rid of the $4800.00 dollar man. You may feel inept and I don't know your situation but if its only mind boggling because of the fear of doing something wrong. They can help you hopefully feel more confident and independent. I will say this to add to what everyone else has said. Yes, it needs to be cleaned out and Koi as they get bigger no matter the size of your pond need more room. Goldfish are amazingly wonderful fish but if you find an organization or club, you'll learn all this. God bless you and all the folks here. If you are in Texas, let me know. I can recommend some organizations that will help you.

I have wanted to try some of these for years. There's a lot of shade in my yard, and I love bright color in Fall: whatever I can get that will show through fallen leaves is likely to be aces with me. [grin] A month ago, I purchased small starters: two each of two different varieties. I gave them a little peat and chicken manure, because I've read that they like acidic soil. They are in two different locations. (Both get some morning sun in Spring, but less sun later on as the trees leaf out.) It's only in the last week or so that I've seen any new growth on them, but I'm optimistic. I was also warned that slugs regard them as the caviar of the plant kingdom, so I've been keeping traps near both areas. (I've seen a few nibbles of the lower leaves, but nothing serious.) Wish me luck! :) This post was edited by ms_xeno on Tue, May 6, 14 at 15:53

HOWDY....I GOT IT!!! Patience IS the key! I wrote one nursery, asking if they had B. luxurians. Someone from the nursery wrote back, saying they'd have more in a wk or two. Well, a wk or two came and went..no Begonia luxurians.. Weeks passed, and still no luxurrians. I gave up. Today, I got online, and thought to check one more time. Lo and Behold! More in stock. I purchased two. lol. BTW, I never got around sowing the seeds. I've been so busy with house plants, outside gardening, and household cleaning, I got side-tracked.. Before sowing, I wanted to be free of worries. Relaxed. Woe, if you're still around...how are your seedlings doing and what percentage germinated? H, your Rexes are gorgeous. Wow. Hope everyone is well, and having a great summer. Toni

I have tons of daylilies and a few dozen Asiatic lilies (easter lilies) They have been such a delight until this beetle came around! I am in in the north western part of CT. Our infestation in this neighborhood is going on 4 years now. Last year I tried neem oil and cedar oil (cedarcide for yard spraying.) Neither worked. Since I only had 30 max, I went around the yard with a bucket of warm soapy water with some cedar oil in it. I hand washed each stalk (what a flipping pain in the rear-end.) It helped some, others were a loss. A few went completely unscathed because they were buried between large hosta's. This year (since we are redoing the pool masonry) I had to rip out all of my perrennials. The lilies were about 6" high when I took them out. I loosened the soil and pulled out the stalk and bulb and shoved them in an old pot and dumped new potting soil on them. (At this point I've dug up so many plants that no plant got coddled or special treatment.) The bucket has been out side in partial shade for 10 days now, and yesterday I noticed about 3 huge larvae and 5 tiny ones on the underside of the leaves. So the dirt had nothing to do with it at this point...the eggs must have already been on the leaves. Our spring has just been so very cold (it is mid may and this weekend was the first 80 degree weather.) I never thought to get out there for larvae control...I was too busy digging up 250 sq feet of plants! Anyway, I sprayed with neem and picked off the critters. Having them in a pot really does help because I can tip it to look under the plant's leaves. I will go back to where they were planted and spray with neem even thought that dirt will soon be landfill someplace. *FYI Cedar oil is supposed to kill the eggs, larvae and the beetle but on a gradual basis. It is amazing for grubs, fleas and ticks and beneficial insect safe. I have also been using beneficial nematodes (from gardens alive) in my garden to fight vine borer larvae (it was about 75% effective last year.) So Perhaps using the cedar oil and nematodes to soak the ground in the spring and fall will produce better results. Time for me to check the lilies that I have elsewhere! Good luck all, Andrea