I'm interested in trading for your Aquilegias "Sunburst Ruby" and your Brazilian buttons. I'm just updating my trade list, so see if there is anything you like. I've got Ruella humilis (wild petunia) Digitalis lanata (Grecian foxglove) Yellow foxglove Elephanthead Amaranthus gangeticus Wood poppy Star of yalta morning glory Allium atropurpureum Acnitus aaustralis blue Campanula (unknown variety blloms blue) Malva alcea fastigiata Aquilegia william guiness Aquilegia origami Malva zebrina Carolina allspice athens (this may be a hybride, only four seeds left) White baby's breath

Without question, systemic insecticides can provide the best control for leaf roller control in heavy infestation areas of the country. Application time and intervals will vary relative to the form of the product. Granular products applied to the soil require a longer time taking effect and can be somewhat less effective over the growing cycle. It may be necessary to reapply them during the growing season. The liquid systemic products become effective much quicker but require a bit more care concerning drift and contact of non-targeted beneficial insects. I would recommend very early or very late daytime applications. In areas that have heavy infestation yearly, start applications of the granular at planting time and reapply according to instructions (may be every 4 to 6 weeks?). Liquid applications can begin after the first leaves appear or at the first sign of damage. Reapplication typically can vary from as often as every ten days to three weeks. Re-infestation typically becomes greatest by mid to late summer, requiring the more frequent applications. Please exercise care and follow label instructions. Kent

Ruth, in my experience the leaves affected by leafroller will wither and fall off, and not affect bloom too much. But I do think for the long term health of the plants it's better not to ignore it. I have two Annabelles that get leafrollers every spring. I go through and pick off as many of the affected leaves as I can. If you have many it may be hard to get them all, but at least the leafrollers are only at work for a few weeks. You want to try to stop the cycle in future years (since the caterpillars will drop to the soil to pupate and get ready for next year). Insecticide is really difficult to time because there's such a brief window when they aren't inside the leaves.

If you are living in zone 8 you will forever have to deal with the canna leaf roller. There are two distinct kinds. They are the greater leaf roller (skipper butterfly-Calpodes ethlius) and the lesser leaf roller (a moth-Calpodes cnnnalis). Simply moving your cannas to a different area of your garden will not solve your problem. They very likely overwinter somewhere in your immediate area and will move to your cannas to deposit their eggs on the plant during the growing season. The hatched larval stage does the damage. These insects overwinter in the more temperate south and moves north as the season progresses. They typically produce several generations which causes re-infestation over the growing season. This means the control must be continued periodically throughout the season. Do a search for canna leaf roller and you will find many band-aid solutions, if you choose to use the most effective solution use a systemic insecticide such as Orthene and follow label directions. Kent