Sorry for the off topic post, well kinda off topic. I find the organics are getting better all the time, even some heavy hitters like Spinosad, It may be worth trying, but since regular oil seems better, and Neem isn't very effecive for some insects, I'm not sure it's worth using? As you say maybe in combination,possibly even with Spinosad. But Spinosad is toxic to bees, whereas say Serenade is not. Serenade works on some fungal diseases for raspberries, so I'm considering it as a preventative. Although it is one of those all in one products. Insecticide, fungicide. All above products are organic, but many systemic organics are frowned upon like Agri-Foss, so I give up on trying to offer suggestions to organo nuts. Sold by most organic sellers. It may not be considered strictly organic? Agri-Fos was approved by the Biopesticide Division of E.P.A. as a biorational fungicide. It can be used for Apple Scab. Some don't like systemics, please don't tell these people that organic fertilizer is systemic. They might really freak!

Let me expand further on the topic... I use neem oil from Ahimsa alternative - http://www.neemresource.com/ I buy my fish/seaweed hydrolysate from neptune's harvest http://www.neptunesharvest.com/fs-191.html or I buy from brown's for just straight fish hydrolysate http://brownsfishfertilizer.com/products-page/ Some notes about using... Neem - you have to keep it cold, I split the gallon container into smaller bottles (it hardens when cold, so you'll have to either dunk the gallon container in a sink of hot water or leave it sitting out on a warm day) - Shake it thoroughly and divide into very tightly closing smaller bottles. When you plan on spraying - take the bottle out, put it in a sink of hot water until it returns to liquid state. I usually pour the portion I need (.5 fl oz per gallon - a tablespoon) into a bucket and then return the bottle to the fridge, add my 1 ounce (1/8th cup per gallon of water) fish hydrolysate (be sure to thoroughly shake the container before measuring it out - be warned - this stuff is smelly), and scant tablespoon of biodegradable soap - I get 7th generation - it's cheap & readily available. Then I add about half the water I need and stir it several times in one direction and then switch directions with a dedicated whisk. Pour into sprayer add remaining amount of water needed, close your sprayer, shake thoroughly and start spraying (make sure their are no oil droplets at the top of the solution - neem has to be thoroughly mixed to be effective - think like salad dressing - who likes separated salad dressing? yuck. I prefer spraying right before sundown or even at night (with a flashlight... my neighbors naturally think I'm nuts) and to the point of runoff. Be sure to get undersides of leaves. Why near or at night? This is when the stomata are opening up on the plant - in other words, the pores of the plant are open. You'll get the maximum uptake and benefit from spraying at this time and it gives the maximum time for the plant to avoid sunburn. I do this about once a week during times of high disease pressure and then back off to bi-weekly when disease pressure goes down - if it rains, I spray the next day or as soon as possible (assuming it isn't just going to rain the next day... then I wait) As always - be sure to test an inconspicuous area of the plant and allow a week to make sure their aren't burn issues. If you, after a few weeks, aren't seeing an improvement in plant health - up your spray concentration by half a percent. Per gallon, for example, if you started at .5% dilution - go up to 1% (1 fl ounces per gallon, 2 tablespoons). Few other pieces of advice - this stuff is smelly. Neem has a very strong garlic-nutty smell and fish hydrolysate... well it smells like rotten fish (trust me the cold process hydrolysate smells A WHOLE lot better than the cheaper, less effective hot processed stuff... ugh). Be assured it dissipates quickly - if the scent really is bothersome you can add a drop or two of a fragrance oil - peppermint is particularly effective. Neem and fish hydrolysate once mixed - have to be used immediately upon mixing - they break down rapidly in solution - if you sprayed everything and have some left, use it as a soil drench or spray it on something you don't normally spray. It'll be glad for it. Thoroughly rinse your sprayer after every use - I fill mine with water and just use it to water plants, silly to waste the good stuff. I try to think of it as being like licking the brownie batter off the spoon. This should go without saying, but don't spray it on the blooms. Buds are absolutely fine - but blooms and less so buds are much more prone to phytotoxicity (burn). Do not spray during foraging times for beneficials - (shouldn't be too much of a problem at night). DO NOT spray on host plants for butterflies/native endagered insects - Azadirachtin (the main active compound in Neem) interrupts the molting process of insects that consume it. Butterfly caterpillars, that eat and live on their respective host plants that are treated with neem (or any other spray for that matter) will die. If you don't know what that includes, I'd contact your local extension office. You should see improvement in just about any plant you use this on. I pretty much use it on everything that isn't a host plant in my garden and this is also the same basic formulation I spray on my orchard. Also, the fish hydrolysate is more than just a sticker/carrier - it's also a fantastic fertilizer - I use the same spray formulation (1/2 fl oz neem, 1 fl oz fish per gallon) as a soil drench aka fertilizer. Hope that answers some questions Jordan - Organic/Holistic Orchardist and Gardener This post was edited by jjstatz29 on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 10:18

Florence Bowers IS sumptuous! Ingrid -- don't feel badly. More blooms than not are "fried" here. They open, and immediately parch and fall. I have to say that, tho not "old", 'Ahimsa' has immense tolerance for heat. Even on a tiny plant, it opened yesterday, and looked almost the same today. For a yellow, that is remarkable. But for the most part, I am glad the camera can record the fleeting beauty.

A lovely fresh looking yellow - bet it really stands out in the garden.