Being on the pessimistic side, I think I might start thinking about replacement trees. If, like me, you are frugal, then starting your own from seed, or digging up seedlings, might be a way to go. If you grow your own, and keep potting them on into larger pots, you can have 15-gal. root systems, and 6-12' trees at least 4, maybe 5 years, down the road, which seems to be about when you will know if your insecticide/protection program is working or not. The size will be NOTHING like the magnificent ashes you now have growing, but it will be a start in providing it to you again.... Of course, if you can afford it, you CAN buy very large trees as replacements, but if you have read through old posts, you realize that the establishment period for large trees is long, and takes much care - the smaller trees would probably catch up to the bigger ones at the end of 3-6 years, and cost a LOT less, both in money and in effort/water/etc.. I hope you do succeed in your endeavors - and if you do end up with healthy ashes, and no need for your "little" trees, then I am sure you can gift them to someone, even to your town for park plantings.

Rick, Our summer has been extremely wet and I lost some Huernai by root rot. I have been using Bayor 3 in 1 and seems to help. I also been using sulfur added to water. PH being lower kills fungus. I don't know where Stapelias stand with the PH scale. But the Bayor is what I use every year at about this time when watering before bring the plants in. I wish they didn't have the fertilizer in it. Don't want new growth now at this time of year. Would love to see other replys to this posting. Stush

That's actually a very good question as it strikes at the heart of "organic" vs factory farming. IMHO, organic gardening is more labor intensive and much safer for you and the environment. Visit your local Grocery Store and you'll see the produce department filled with gorgeous veggies. The ones labeled organic will cost more than the factory farmed ones. Also, since the consumer now wants Strawberries in February, etc. A large majority are shipped in from Mexico, Central and South America. Think they don't use various and sundry chemicals? I own a farm, though not doing much with it anymore as I'm retired, am very familiar with the various chemical cocktails Bayer, etc. woo farmers with. If you want to be comfy with chemicals, consider this, Chemicals are very expensive, farmers use the minimal amount to achieve the desired level of control. Contrast that to the "urbanite" who buys something at the local garden center, breaks out the gallon pump up sprayer, probably doesn't read the instructions e.g. "1/2-1 tsp. per gallon of water and proceeds to put in a few "glugs." Hey, this is America, more has gotta be better-right? Guess what, it controls the problem. If you want to use chemicals, READ the instuctions and err on the low side of the application rate. If the instructions say "damp or moisten" DON"T drown the plant! Yeah, more is better. Put another way, At some point you've probably had your M.D. proscribe something and got the explanation that "Drugs aren't good for you, however, we evaluate the "desired result vs the bad result" and you should take this. Words to that..... With the evolution of the Colorado Potato Beetle's resistance to anything else, if you buy potatoes, they've been treated with a systemic. To really understand what a systemic is, consider this: A trench or furrow is dug in your garden, potatoes are placed in it, a systemic is sprayed down the row, "annointing" both seed potatoes and the soil between, row is covered. As the potato grows, it absorbs this, a beetle comes along and proceeds to dine on the plant and dies. One treatment, good for the entire season. So the chemical is spread thoughout the plant, including the potatoes you harvest. BTW, it also stays in the soil, successive planting over succesive years the level increases. A pollinator wanders in and takes nectar from a bloom.....:-( As I said earlier, Organic is more labor intensive and is better for the environment and you. However, with the world population increasing and insects continuing to develop resistance to controls available, more and stronger controls are continually being developed in order to provide enough food. I'm not going anywhere with this particuarly, just wanted folks to understand what systemic means and if you choose to go that route, understand what you're doing and exhaust mechanical means as described above, sprays, pinching, barriers, etc. before chemicals are used. Be well,

Jody, Yes, absolutely, it's being *aware* that makes the difference. I don't have any of those nasty nasties you have, not having the weather for them. (Yet another affirmation of the local aphorism that our weather "keeps the riffraff out." In more ways than one. Crossing my fingers that it may last, but no high hopes.) I also prevent my hippies from blooming in the summer (I want them to save their energy for the midwinter blooms I so cherish), so if I were to use a neo-nic on them, it would be fine. I'd also feel all right about using it on house plants. Can't think of any other outdoor plants it might be safe on. I could wish for roses: Japanese beetles decimate my display every single year, and I know of no good way to prevent that. :( Gotta consult Damask-Rose, I think!! :) I have just now thought about using it on hostas, if it were effective against slugs, and then I would just remove all flower stems (and believe me we're talking into the thousands, but I'd do it). But no! Apparently it doesn't kill the slugs at all but is saved in their bodies, creating toxic slugs, which kill off slug predators. Sigh. http://www.planetexperts.com/neonicotinoid-pesticides-creating-toxic-slugs/ The use of these poisons has consequences that spread far beyond their intended target. I will always encourage seeking out all more focused alternatives before bringing out the nuclear option. Joan