Jan, I am going to give you a long answer (more like a comment, since you gave us the link without questions) and with a nice little holiday story in it too. We had been planting by the moon, could be superstition but we figured, why not? The pull of the moon on the tides is real, different water content in the soil with moon phase is also real, so we did it the way some people approach religion, just in case....LOL. It does not cost anything extra and it lets us get organized in the planting, which we do all year round, leafy crops with seeds outside first quarter, fruiting crops (seeds inside) second quarter, root crops and perennials third quarter, and do not plant anything on the last quarter. I liked looking at the moon and thinking, oh, I better get my peas on the ground (or anything, carrot, beets, fill in the blank there...) So we got into the habit of never planting anything on the last quarter of the moon. This changed recently over the holidays. We drove to New Orleans and brought our seed box with us, all the seeds, just in case. Nothing was really planned before hand, but when we got there, it became obvious that one of the best presents for us to give to a dear older gentleman (he is 88 and still gardening!) was to plant a winter garden for him. The criteria was different this time. Rather than phase of the moon it was more like: will the crops make it even with light frost? does he like these things and will he eat them? will he be able to give them to neighbors (or trade?) if he has an excess? and also very importantly, do we have the seeds for it with us? So we started planting on the last quarter, when you are NOT supposed to plant. I have to admit I did worry a bit, but we figured, maybe the spirit of good will for the holidays will prevail? So we planted and planted. Well of course, we had to prepare, hand till and amend the beds first. We direct sowed seeds for lettuces (several), spinach (2 kinds), pak choi, carrots (4 types), beets (3 types), radishes (3 types), peas (bush and pole), brussel sprouts, collards, mustards (2 types), turnips, chard, celery, dill, parsley, climbing thyme, lemon balm and chamomile. I also had to stick a few seeds of marigold and sunflowers in the ground, to help make it pretty, attract pollinators and repel/attract pests (I saw those horrible Harlequin bugs along the Mississippi river, they have them too). At the third day the radishes had sprouted, by the fifth day we had spinach, mustards, beets, later sprouted the collards, peas and bok choi, even the chamomile sprouted before we had to leave! I am also talking almost 100% sprouting rate and so fast! this never happens at home of course. We could not believe how fast and well everything sprouted. It was also very rewarding to see so many sprouts before we had to leave. Carrots have sprouted too (I heard) I think the celery is the only one left to sprout. All of these were planted at the wrong phase of the moon, so I am no longer going by moon phase to plant. As far as the rest of the information, it does not really work in my zone too well. For example, if I had planted the winter crops by September, they would have all gotten burned and probably not done too well when we got 97F in November a few times. So I planted a lot of things in December and in January (still have a few pole peas to plant). My bush peas and brassicas are out and seem to do well, carrots are up too, beets also, so I am glad I just went by the weather, rather than the moon calendar.

Alabammatreehugger, I do agree with you if the suggested oak and beech were planted in the wrong micro-climate, they could suffer from molds and or leaf bleaching. But in relation to nrwv's reported situation: the North Carolina tree evaluation list indicates that there are some good English oak cultivar specimans growing in the state. The cultivar specifically mentioned is the 'Crimson Spire' (15' wide spreader English Oak cultivar.) The NC tree evaluation report did mention that some of these english oaks suffer damage from Japanese beetles, but isn't the Bayer brand systemic treatment for trees and shrubs an affective treatment to prevent such damage. I have used that systemic treatment on many of my trees and shrubs, and it has protected them from such infestions. The Bayer brand Systemic treatment is easy to apply; and after the intial treatment, the trees only need to be retreated with it once in the early fall of each following year, thereafter. Further more, if the Oaks are planted on the east side of those red tips which are growing on the west side of the driveway, then the oaks would get the benefit of morning and midday sun to help dry the morning dew: they would also get the benefit of afternoon shade cast onto them by those tall red tips, resulting in the trees being protected from the hot sun in the hottest part of the summer day. Also, the Purple leaf beeches surely would benefit from the afternoon shade which those tall red tips growing only 5 feet west of them would be providing. Then, at various times in the summer the beeches could even get some morning sun shade provided by the oaks, especially if those oaks were planted just east of the beeches and staggered a little just to the north or south of each purple leaf beech; as I first suggested planting them. In light of the micro climate situation as the trees planted the way I suggested would encounter, I have a little trouble imagining how the beech leaves will be over exposed to fading light or how the oaks will not be benefited by the morning sun helping to dry their leaves. The drying dynamic I am thinking of to benefit the english oak cultivars is similar to the mold and black spot preventive benefits roses obtain when they are growing in a micro-climate, which receives morning sun and afternoon shade. Also, just like when people avoid watering such mold suceptable plants in the late afternoon or early evening, when there is not enough time for the sun to dry the rose's foliage.

Sophia, sorry for the lack of explanation to my comment last night, but was very low on battery. Cabbage moths look like white butterflies with a black spot at the bottom of their wings. They lay their eggs on the leaves and buds of host plants. The eggs are about 1-2mm, creamy white and are quite visible. When the larvae hatch, they are small green caterpillars that either roll themselves into the leaves and start feasting, or if they are on the buds, they chew their way into the centre, thereby ruining the flower. I do not spray, so I just rub the eggs off as I see them and squish any caterpillars between my fingers ( gloves on, of course :-) ). Other moths and butterflies do the same thing, so it is just a matter of checking on the roses every day. I believe that some gardeners use Confidor as a selective, systemic spray which does not harm beneficial insects.

I've tried both own root and grafted PJPII and they were neither very vigorous, or hardy for that matter. I had some of the own root ones survive a few years and put out a few flowers a year, had a grafted one die over winter, and so far the most recent grafted try from Palatine is surviving into its second year, but died to the ground. I have yet to get mine to put out more than a flower or two at a time, and they've never gotten taller than 3' at that. May be a cold zone thing, but even in my protected zone 6 pocket where these have always been, it's not a strong fit for my zone. Cynthia