Thisbud: It is hard for me to put myself in your place, since your springtime is much more advanced than mine, but the time to dormant spray for pests like mites is obviously while the plants are still dormant. If your blackberries have begun to leaf out, you can still use oil spray, but at a reduced mixing rate to minimize the risk of phytotoxicity. Oil sprays are the ticket for pests like aphids and mites that often hatch out right on the plants, and a heavier mix is better at suffocating overwintering eggs than a lighter one, but if your canes are leafed out, you have to be a little more careful. Keep watching for mites regardless of your dormant spray program, and if they begin to reappear, permethrin-based insecticides are very effective against them, and quite safe since the mites should be eliminated well before berries begin to form and certainly before they ripen. I think polysul is a lime/sulphur compound, usually dormant applied as an overwintering fungicide. I don't understand how this chemical could be effective against mites, but there are lots of things I don't understand. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thank you! We had a brief spell of warm weather so the whole garden seemed to bloom all at once. But we have had a spell of cold rain, so that should slow things down a bit and I won't have to water. It'll probably give the roses a bad case of rust, though - darn it! And of course, aphids just love these kinds of conditions. hurlee, the yellow-leafed shrub is my prized Lavatera olba "Aureum". I bought it as a container at one of our better local nurseries, but after a lot of commercial stock was destroyed due to being found carriers of sudden oak death virus, I have never seen another one offered. It has spectacular lavendar flowers which will appear in another month or so. You can tell it's related to hibiscus from the flower shape: The freesias opened up so fast it looks like they'll be over in just a few weeks! They really put on a colorful show this year: More freesias with a variegated erysimum in full bloom: Here's a shot of what I call 'bubblegum' iris because of their Juicyfruit scent. You can get a better idea of the lavatera foliage colors, in the background: The 'bubblegum' iris are not quite as large or showy as the dark purple (variety unknown) bearded iris I have elsewhere. They also only bloom once, and disappear over the winter, whereas the other iris is a rebloomer and remains evergreen. Still, I get a kick out of their scent, and it's a nice sign of spring when they return:

Pommes, the problem with cool soil for beans is that it often causes poor germination. The 18 degree C. soil temperature is a good baseline recommendation for planting bean seeds, although I prefer it a little warmer. Once germination has already occurred though - such as with transplants - the soil temperature is less critical. You can put transplants into the ground earlier than seeds. Some bean seeds are more cool soil tolerant than others, such as the pole beans "Emerite" (black-seeded) and "Fortex" (brown-seeded). There seems to be a relationship between dark seed coats & good cool-soil tolerance. I grow mainly pole beans, but there should be bush beans with similar tolerance. These might offer an alternative to transplants. My Wisconsin weather sounds much like yours. June 1st is my target date for direct-seeding beans, soybeans, okra, and other heat-loving crops. In the event that the soil is too cool or damp at that time (as often happens) I just plant them indoors instead, transfer them to a solar greenhouse as soon as they germinate, and transplant them as soon as conditions allow. The only beans I actually start early are long-season beans (such as limas) which would otherwise be a challenge for my climate. In recent years, I've compared the days-to-maturity of the same beans, both direct-seeded and started as transplants. Provided that the transplants are given full sun immediately following germination, and not kept in the pots long enough to stunt their growth, the days-to-maturity are comparable. If slugs are a major problem, I understand why you would want to use transplants. There might be other options that would be helpful. I'm not sure what chemical products are available where you live, but here there are iron-based slug killing formulations that are very effective, and are even certified for organic agriculture. You might also try sprinkling diatomaceous earth around young seedlings to protect them from slugs.

Ibar, Your Lady rose is beautiful - yellow is my favorite color for roses. You wouldn't know it by what I have - red, red and more red... Brenda, I am so sorry for your loss but I am happy to have you back! My parents are both gone and I have a small bed that my daughter & I plant annuals in each year for them. Some times more for my Father, some times more for my Mom and some times a little of both. They were both lover's of growing things (mostly kids - LOL - there are 17 of us - 5 real and 12 adopted!) I am alway on the hunt for perenals with their names - Jack is easy but Mom's given name was Sylvania shortened to Vanie, I am not having much luck there! :) Her favorite plants were Iris and Clematis. I have lots of Iris and my daughter babying along 2 Clematis with not much luck. I have some Angel Clematis seeds that I am trying to start, they aren't up yet but I am keeping my fingers crossed. If I get enough to grow up I plan to cover a fence with them and make a permantent 'Loved Ones' garden. Oh, I just thought of something! llbean made a garden item out of an old light bulb - I could do a couple of them out of Sylvania ones! That would get my Mom's name in there, wouldn't it! LOL Have a wonderful weekend! Marie