Thanks for the short review. My choice of Red Globe as it was mentioned as good by fruitnut. And also a local Nursery which makes the top 5 for hardy fruit trees is Grandpa's. It's a "Grandpa's Choice" there Although it is mentioned it is susceptible to bacterial spot and frost tender. It must have a really good flavor for Grandpa to still suggest it. His other choices are Redhaven and O'Henry. So 3 out of all the peaches they sell., which this year is 24 cultivars. So it's not my experience. I developed a list of good candidates for my yard and all three are on it. Now Redhaven and O'Henry will make it in my yard first. Redhaven because it was developed here, and is a really decent peach. O'Henry for it's exceptional taste. it does have some problems. But really what cultivar is perfect? Both are old cultivars reviewed many times all over the place. I believe Scott mentions it is was of his best (O'Henry). Redhaven is one of the better Michigan cultivars, I have to have it. Again too first come peaches that work here, then one that should work here but untested, then experimental. So peaches suggested by a top 5 nursery that is in MI, have huge weight on my list. My choice on Redskin was based your review and also a review from a radio interview I heard. The grower was an author, and mentioned the cultivar as being very good. I can't remember who the writer was though? Maybe Lee Reich? Anyway I think with any I mentioned Mrs.G would be happy. I would base choice on ripening time compared to what she has. So mentioned a few. I can mention more, but know less about them, but still on my list. Winblo, Carmen, Carolina Gold, and Clayton would be excellent choices too. Speaking of grafting my Indian free looks like it has a canker. I removed canker, but the tree may develop more so I took a couple scions to try my hand at grafting. I may spread the canker, I took it off a clean scaffold, and it doesn't matter anyway. I'm moving and will have to start over in 3 years. these are all experiments at this point so another reason to graft. to practice, and to experiment. I'm putting the scions on Arctic Glo Nectarine. or Lucky 13. I'm not sure what kind of graft to use? But have a lot of time to figure that out. I'm going to practice graft cutting on my maple tree. See if I can get good cuts, or at least practice my cuts on scrape wood first.

I have three C. dichotoma 'Issai' that I have cut back every spring for years. The last two years were very hard on them--two years ago two weeks of 90 degree weather at the end of March and then four nights of hard freeze in the high teens. Then last spring was very cold, they were very late to leaf out and the summer was a drought. This spring I didn't cut them back so as not to stress them anymore, and leafing out and regrowth has been very slow and sparse. I'm thinking they will survive, but they certainly have taken a hit.

I'm going through this also. The west side of my house is full of RRD-infected roses; half of which are newly-planted this year. Like you, I pruned off the ugly canes but I've resigned myself to having DH dig out the anchor of the group, Graham Thomas, who is 15 years old. There's just no saving him, it's that bad. That's tomorrow's project. I've already started researching foundation plantings that can withstand the hot summer sun but will not be roses. I can't spend $ on roses and fertilizer only to dig them up later in the summer. My biggest fear is that I'll end up having RRD rampage through the rest of my gardens and spreading amuck among my 300 roses. -terry

Amy, I am not clear on the problem. Did the plants recover last April (they leaf out again) but they have not leafed out since they lost their leaves at the start of winter? Is that the problem? If yes, it may be too early to leaf out for some varities or for stressed plants. Wait until mid-May before deciding to take drastic action. Make sure that the shrubs have acidic mulch about 3-4 inches thick. Stop fertilizing in August/September and water through winter if your soil does not freeze. In winter you can water once every week or once every two weeks. The plants are dormant during winter but they still need some moisture, specially on dry winters. Luis