Jean- My 4 o'clocks never come up the following year, they always get frozen by winter. They do not even self seed here. I mean they do alll summer but then again nothing comes up over winter. So I have to start them again, which is a real pain. I had them running all along the front wall last summer until I yanked them to make that big planter box in the front yard were lots of new daylilies are going to be planted. Now morning glories are another story, those always (and easily) self seed. I find that if I leave any or miss any they bloom the wrong colors with smaller flowers, so I pull out self seeded vines and plant new ones from bought seeds. Last year I had some on a tower but they got so overgrown I pulled them out. This spring I think I will plant them on a much bigger, stronger tower were my trumpet vine died. Julie- I love the flowers on the bearded iris but for me the bloom period is too short to go nuts and plant them all over. Also, I do not like the looks of the bearded iris folliage. That skinny bed section in the front will be it for now. The Siberian Iris are different and I think they will be a lovely no fuss addition to my garden. Last night I also ordered one Japanese Iris because the picture was so lovely, I could not resist. I had some Japanese Iris many, many years ago at another house but not since then. I have this empty spot that I tried daylilies in but moved them because I did not like the look there. Its got roses and crosima on the sides and daylilies in front and then empty spot will now be iris. I also bought my first ever Spuria Iris and still don't know where I will plant it.

I think hand picking or vacuuming adults, planting beneficial-insect-attracting flowers, and using row covers on the grow beds are your best options for control. The following methods of control are quoted directly from "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control" CONTROL METHODS: Squash Bugs - Maintain vigorous plant growth; handpick all stages of squash bugs from undersides of leaves; support vines off the ground on trellises; attract native parasitic flies with pollen and nectar plants; cover plants with a floating row cover (you'll need to hand-pollinate flowers. Stink Bugs - Control weeds in susceptible crops; remove or mow weedy areas adjacent to garden beds; attract native parasitic wasps and flies by planting small-flowered plants. As a last resort, dust with pyrethrin.

Wendy, It is hard to tell but I have been flipping through Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw and a very good contender might be one of many leafminers in particular Holly Leafminer "Overwinters as larva in the mine, pulpating in early spring. Adults are present for a period of about 6 weeks, and females insert eggs in the underside of newly developing leaves. The larvae feed in the leaf creating a gradually expanding mine that is blotch like at the end. Much of the mining occurs during late fall and winter. Usuallly leafminers associated with deciduous holly have several generations per year, whereas those associated with evergreen hollies have a single generation." There seem to be as many different leafminers as there are plants so I was thinking you might begin your search by determining what plants they seem to be hovering around.

Thank you very much for the reply. It's definitely appreciated. Do you happen to know of any sort of organic sprays that I could put on the plants to prevent aphids from returning once I've pinched 'em all away? I think I might try spraying them off into a ditch or something because finding them all and pinching every one of them might be a bit too tedious for my likes. Thank you again.