hi jeffery thanks Im definately in z6 but I do get back z7 & 8 callas so I think my yard is a microclimate due to its concrete patio & fencing... Im pretty sure I can get it to come back here too as Ive read of other PA gardens having it return also w no special care but I was wondering if its appearance or growth would suffer .... or if I would have to cut it back & cover it ,as my neighbor grows african fig trees all yr outdoors !! He cuts them back & covers w a wire cage & roll roofing & stuffs that w hay then covers that whole cage w garbage bags!! Gets fresh figs from all his trees & he has 4 or 5 now.. its a big pain but beats trying to dig & bury the trees(which is what he did for yrs till he just simply got to old to bury the trees he told me!) so one yr he constructed these cages & the idea worked & i wondered if id have to go thru something like that w this bamboo as i didnt want the canes to freeze & die off or anything.. Ive heard that bamboo is invasive & hard to kill once it gets going & I hope that its as tough as Ive heard as I really want this to take here for me even if I have to keep a pot indoors as a backup!! im checking the new arbor day chart myself now as Im curious but I bet it still says z6 for me in pgh pa!!weather here has been unseasonably warm past several winters too so global warming may one day provide me w the oppertunity to leave all my plants outdoors one day!! weve had 70 deg weeks in jan even!! unheard of up here...thx again for info gtg going for late night pizza run w baby...its midnight & no one can eat another bite of turkey here!!...jean Im copying the names of your varities too as Im interested in getting a few more bamboos....

Dear ladylotus, I assume you are talking about mealy bugs on a jasmine. The first line of defence is old Dutch cleanser. That is to say, summarily through the affected plants out. If you cant do this, you will need rubbing alchohol and Q-tips. Dip the cotton end in the rubbing alchohol, and touch it to the bugs to exterminate them. Go over every _centimeter_ of the plant looking for bugs, and repeat weekly or twice weekly for the entire winter. What you should do now, since it is only October is`put the plants out each and every day the temperature rises above freezing, returning the plants into the greenhouse if frost threatens after dark. Mealy bugs only pose a serious threat to indoor plants. Outdoors the mealy bugs are kept in check. The sunlight, fresh air, wind, cool temperatures and critters will help you control the mealy bugs. Additionally, while the plants are outside, give them a firm spray with a hose. Using a jet of water in this way wll dislodge and wash away the pests before they have a chance to establish themselves again in anticipation of your next weekly rubbing alchohol assault. You can continue doing this once the plants are indoors for good with an indoor spraying wand, or by bringing the plants under the sink. Just keep in mind, that you want to wash the foliage - not drench the soil each and every day. Turn the plant gently on a forty-five degree angle as you do this. Addditionaly, mist and spray your plants at least daily. This should be part of your routine no matter what. Plain water that you have filtered or allowed to sit over night in order that the chlorine should dissapate is great. Rain water or melted fresh snow is even better. These will raise the humitity for your plants, wash off evil-doers, and in general help keep your plants healthy, just like gentle morning mist and dew in California and England do the the plants in those blessed climes. In your case I would add a very mild solution of Doctor Bronners Peppermint Castille soup to your spray, and apply it once a day. This inhibits insects, deters them from chewing and sucking, and prevents them from becomming a problem. You could also use a mild organic pesticide according to the package directions. In either case, remeber that spraying is preventative medicine, and only works in that capacity - not as well when resorted to as a last measure. Finally, now that I have converted you to the merits of spraying, I reccomend that you use a mild organic foilar feed (miracle grow organic choice is fine - compost or worm casting tea is excellent) in your spray each and every day. In addition use SprayNGrow (a micronutrient formulation) every week according to package directions. It is ok to go down to once a month with SprayNGrow in the winter when plants aren't growing in the winter. In your specific situation with mealy bug infestation and recovery though, I would keep up the regimen all winter. These measures help keep the plant in tip-top shape, and give it the vim and vigor to fight off any insect assault. Best wishes, Sincerely, Matt Di Clemente

Hi All - First posting here. I stumbled in here, after searching for info on ground cover that grows rapidly and vertically. I live in the Metro Atlanta area, specifically about 30 minutes SW of the airport in Newnan. Our lot slopes up from the street, and our back yard has always been nearly non-existent. It went back maybe 10-15 feet, was uneven, and full of rocks. I had someone come in and do some grading to get a fairly flat surface, and 15-20 feet from the back of the house, so we could actually use part of the back yard. One spot was used to put a cheap pool (You can see it's still filling in the pic). Grading is a lot cheaper than building retaining walls, so that's not in my plan, at least not for a year or two. What I want to do is find something that I can plant at the base of this vertical slope (the loose dirt will be removed), and have it grow up the slope vertically, and hopefully root into it as it grows, to aid in holding it in place. Ultimately, I'd like it to continue to the upper part which has always been weeds, and cover that, choking out the unattractive weeds, and making it more maintenance free. It sounds like Confederate Jasmine may be what I'm looking for. As you can see in the picture, I am surrounded by hard, compacted clay, and to make it more fun, it's probably the rockiest soil I've seen here, and I've been in this area most of my life. How long do you think it would take Confederate Jasmine to grow to the top of the bare area (maybe 7' at the corner peak)? This area is in full Sun from maybe 11AM till just about dusk each day. Would it grow straight up, or would it fan out and grow up and out at the same pace? Should I plant it just at the base? How far apart should I plant it, and how is Confederate Jasmine sold? Thanks in advance!

Mara, did you read above that the star jasmines sold today in nurseries are likely to be the Madison variety even if not labeled as such? It seems when a superior cultivar is introduced and it's not possible to tell the difference by looks alone that it will be propagated rather than the old variety and if not named no royalties have to be paid. I was told that by someone in the nursery business when I was searching for Madison without success. I tend to believe it seeing how my neighbor James' plants were more hardy than what I had. Did the above ground stems on yours split? Keep us posted on whether they return and I will do the same.