Butternut (Juglans cinera) and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) are both native trees in NY, and what you've got is probably one of them. They both have alternate leaves, don't know what ID page you're reading. I live in northern NJ and we have both here, although Butternuts are considerably less common than walnuts. I find them difficult to tell apart, unless you have the fruit; Black Walnuts are round, Butternuts are obviously oblong. There are also some other differences in the buds, twig pith, etc. One interesting thing is that if you cut the twig longways the soft inner pith is chambered rather than solid; which is a good ID feature. If there's a nut tree growing across the street, probably what you have is the same thing. I think the squirrels bury the nuts. This site has good info on identifying them, although I don't think the pictures of the leaves are terribly representative. Black Walnut Butternut WW

Hello, anita55. This could be powdery mildew or some other type of fungal disease. The plant seems fine but surely looks like the nursery was watering the leaves. They should be watering the soil in the pot instead. You should do the same; water EARLY IN THE MORNING ONLY and water the soil so you do not let more fungal spores develop on the leaves. Do not overwater in order to dry out the supply of moisture which helped the fungal spores develop. Because the infestation is severe, I would apply some fungicides although you are going to loose the leaves soon when the plant goes dormant. Normally by Fall, some leaves can suffer from PM but are not worth the expense of buying and messing with fungicides. Fungicides whose active ingredient is either azoxystrobin (Heritage), chlorothalonil (Daconil Ultrex), fenarimol (Rubigan), parafinnic oil (Sun-Spray Ultrafine Oil), potassium bicarbonate or thiophanate-methyl (Cleary's 3336) can be used to control PM. Because all those products have variants, verify that the product label says that it can be used against powdery mildew. You will have to re-apply multiple times: every so many days (7 to 14+, depends on the product). See the fungicide label for appropriate rates and application intervals. To avoid fungicide resistance, I suggest you apply two types with different active ingredients; apply the first one twice; then apply the second one twice (repeat if necessary). Rotating products in this manner also helps avoid insecticide resistance by garden pests. If you are into organic solutions, consider baking soda (1 tbsp of baking soda + 1/2 tsp of liquid soap + 1 gallon of water) or cornmeal (2 pounds per 100 square feet; work it into the soil and water well). You can also prepare cornmeal overnight: add 1 cup of cornmeal to 1 gallon of water, let it sit overnight, strain and spray on the plants. Mulch with 3-4" of any type of cheapo acidic mulch. This mulch will serve to collect all the spores that fall off into the ground from the leaves. It will protect the plant through winter as well. However, when spring arrives and the plant leafs out, I would replace the mulch with new mulch (throw away the old mulch; should be full of spores). Remove and destroy next. When the shrub goes dormant, you will have lots of dry leaves (no blooms from what I can see in the picture). Dispose of all leaves (and any blooms) in the trash instead of the compost bin; you do not want to spread the spores elsewhere either as some may survive in the compost bin. Do not fertilize the plant. One application (1/2 or 1 cup) of manure or cottonseed meal in June should normally suffice (start in 2009) but consider that (1) the potting soil in your plant already contains fertilizer pellets, (2) we are in September and you should stop fertilizing by August-September to make sure your plant goes dormant at the proper time and besides (3) powdery mildew likes to develop on tender new leaves so do not allow it to develop in any new growth. Separation between plants is important as this allows good air flow. Good air flow keeps moisture down and prevent the fungal spores from developing. From your picture, this looks fine now but your hydrangea could get large and in a few years, it may be much closer to your other plants (spirea?). Keep that in mind. Do not worry if you keep the plant. PM is not going to kill this plant and the shrub will recover but you will have some hassles for the first few years. The problem will return again after your rainy seasons until the number of spores has gone down enough to no longer be an issue. Other plants nearby could catch PM so be aware of that too. Does this help you? Luis PS - For a brand new plant from a landscaper, I would have declined that specimen and told the landscaper to go shop at a better nursery. Do not pay regular top dollar for a plant that is not in top shape; see if they can give you back some of what you paid.

Running bamboo is often planted along property lines for it's ability to create a thick dense privacy hedge quickly. If not properly contained and maintained the bamboo can quickly spread to neighbors yards. The best way to contain bamboo is a rhizome barrier. Depending on your soil conditions and the type of bamboo a rhizome barrier of proper height and thickness can be utilized to manage a grove of bamboo effectively with little effort. Unfortunately most landscapers do not want to take the time or effort to dig trenches 2 to 3 feet down around the planting site and insert the barrier. This has led to a few local municipalities and towns putting ordinances on the planting and maintenance of bamboo. When groves are left unmaintained for long periods of time the rhizomes and roots of the canes become tightly packed making it very difficult to remove. The best option in this case is to consult a professional that has knowledge of bamboo removal and containment. Below is a professional service in New Jersey that deals with bamboo removals and maintenance. If things are out of control they should be able to help you out or point you in the right direction. Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Removal Service

anita55, you're off to a lovely start. I agree that your demilune is too small to carry off a second lamp. I'd hang 2 small prints, each about the size of 1/2 your wall color sample board to the right of the lamp. You may not need anything else. Try hanging paper cut-outs on the wall to see what you think. You can always place a wonderful box on the table if you think you need something else. Maybe you can find a beautiful one with pearl inlay or marquetry to complement your runner. BTW, I guess the shot of the stair runner is what you've ordered. It's wonderful.