I thought I'd post my thompsoniana update in this thread where it was previously discussed... I received the pictured yucca yesterday. It's a little more than 4 1/2 feet tall. For $89 I'm quite pleased. I think I'll get at least one more before they are gone and/or get expensive like the rostratas. I'll be putting it in ground in mid/late April. Next to 4.75 foot potted trachy which is also going in ground in April. Bonus pics, wintering basjoos.

According to UCONN Integrated Pest Management, Daconil or Maconozeb are the best but some resistance has developed to it in some strains of the late blight bacteria, so they recommend farmers combine the use of one of the two with a systemic fungicide and alternate which ones they use because resistance can develop in a single season. This is a very bad disease to have spreading early to mid way into the season. It goes beyond arguments for and against the use of fungicides in home gardens. If you let it get out of control in your garden you are helping the spread of the spores, which threaten commercial crops and farmer's incomes. I am certainly in favor organic options, but keep a very close eye on your plants so if they don't work, you are willing and able to remove infected plants as soon as you are unable to keep up with removing infected leaves promptly. You also could be threatening your future crops, because I believe it can winter over in the soil. Sue Here is a link that might be useful: UCONN IPM: click on vegetables then weekly pest message

Thank you very much, Carolyn. What worries me are all the home growers that never even saw the news about this bout of late blight. All those spores happily spread for goodness only knows how many miles. Now I'm trying to concentrate on what the smaller eastern black nightshade and climbing nightshade look like. We've got woods behind my father's house that are full of Chinese Wisteria that's taken down many trees. I just finished pulling Pigweed from the property only to find it flourishing in the woods and wood margins in entire neighborhood. In third year of trying to control garlic mustard which should take another 5-7 years if my father keeps the house that long. I know I'm fighting losing battle if it's all around one house but I can't stop myself. Guess there's not much I can do for one home lot if spores are in surrounding area and people just don't know it or have dumped their "dead plants" in the woods. I drenched with Daconil after first"late blight" bulletin. I should've reapplied during the season but tomatoes had so many deep top cracks right down to visible "meat" I didn't want it to penetrate the fruits. I wouldn't feed anyone badly cracked tomatoes with Daconil drench. I'll use the container mix to expand gardens as I do with rest from the many flower & herb containers I have. You're a peach...in addition to your tomato expertise! I've got the darn bush in double black plastic bags which isn't going to get much sun this week to heat up and kill spores. Had to double bag after chipmunks chewed through first bag and disgusting ooze from infected fruits ran out all over the driveway. Thanks again.

Anne....Our furnace in town was under (well not clear under) but it sat in a lot of water several times...one time the water was over the fourth step coming up the stairs. So I know the fan and moter were wet. That happened more than once. And yet 27 years later when we sold the house the same furnace was still in there and still worked. The people who bought the house put in a new high efficiency furnace. Hope yours works too...but if it doesn't I hope you have enough insurance money to cover it...a new one will cost less to run. That amout they were talking about should cover most everything...that is a lot of money...but then I'm thinking for do it yourselfers....we always have done it ourselves. Good luck...and big Hugs...I'm so sorry there is so many miles between friends on cyberspace. I would loved to have helped you.....lol...I'm a basment cleaner upper pro. patti