I'm through with David Austins, except for Evelyn, which is tough and a good bloomer. A nurseryman I know put it best: in this area, Austins get twice as big and bloom half as much as they are predicted to do. The Jackson-Perkins roses rapidly die of homesickness for the Pacific northwest, so I don't buy those any more. I live ten minutes away from the Antique Rose Emporium, but it seems like they're always out of whatever it is I'm after. Leonidas is on the counting-down to shovel time list. I sure like Weeks roses for this area, though. I don't know where they're grown, but that is probably a big factor.

It looks like a white Lady Banks rose, Rosa banksiae, which is an incredible fast grower. That rose might only be a few years old--they grow that fast. There is both a white flowered and a yellow flowered version. It is a once-bloomer in springtime (no to very little repeat of bloom each year), has superb disease resistance, is not particularly cold hardy, and grows like kudzu.

Mold growth in an AeroGarden, or any hydroponic system, can be a concern, especially since these systems provide a moist environment that can be conducive to mold and other microbial growth. Several factors could contribute to mold growth in your AeroGarden: Poor Air Circulation: Good air circulation helps prevent mold by ensuring that excess moisture evaporates. Stagnant air can lead to increased humidity, which, in turn, can foster mold growth. Grow Domes: If you keep the grow domes on the seed pods for too long, they can create a mini greenhouse effect. While this is good for germination, keeping them on for too long can trap moisture and lead to mold. Contaminated Water: Using non-sterile water can introduce mold spores to your system. Overheated Water: Warm water can encourage mold and bacteria growth, especially if it's stagnant. Low Quality or Contaminated Sponges: If you're using replacement sponges that aren't from AeroGarden or are of lower quality, they might not be sterile and could introduce mold. Ambient Conditions: The environment around your AeroGarden, like a humid room, can contribute to mold growth. To prevent mold: Ensure good air circulation around your AeroGarden. Use clean, preferably distilled or filtered, water. Regularly clean your system and check for plant debris. Remove grow domes once the seeds have germinated. Keep an eye on the water temperature and ensure it doesn't get too warm. Use quality, sterile sponges and supplies. If mold is already present, clean your AeroGarden thoroughly, replace the water, and consider starting afresh with sterile supplies.

Yeah, the flea beetles absolutely devastate eggplants. I too dislike chemical pesticides. I don't use them at all. After a bad year last summer, I did some research and found a few strategies that worked great this year. The basic ideas were 'trap cropping' and row covers. I didn't know too much about trap crops, so I read a bunch of info on the web. Insects prefer some plants over others. Flea beetles like eggplant - a lot - but they also like potatoes, some radishes, and Chinese mustard (I'm sure there are others.) I grow eggplants from seed, so I started more than I needed. I combined the 2 strategies by planting a main bed with the strongest eggplant seedlings and placed a row cover over them. I put a row of the weaker ones in an adjacent bed planted with cucumbers and peppers and left them uncovered as the trap crop. As expected, the flea beetles went for the uncovered eggplants. I squished and squished for weeks lol - the trap crop only works if you not only draw the bugs away from the main crop, but you find a way of killing them too. If you do use chemicals, I really don't ever recommend it, but since you won't be harvesting anything off the trap crop... well, it's your garden. Once the main crop got about 1 1/2' - 2' tall, and strong enough to withstand the flea beetles, I uncovered them. Soon afterward, I pulled the trap crop plants to not give space for more to breed. The combined two strategies worked fantastic. Lots of fruits, and they are still flowering! Definitely will be my new method. I think all of Tn. has the squash vine borers pretty bad. I put mine under row covers or they get wiped out. It's work though, because all the flowers have to be hand-pollinated. I've read about others who do the injections. One guy who posts on the Vegetable forum uses Bt injections. Next year I hope to get a Moshcata variety. The borers have a tougher time infecting those.