I really found it to be ineffective on BS in my area. The spray works so much better and it really doesn't take long at all. I can't wait for this season! I was told by our local rose society president and consulting rosarian for our area not to fertilize until April 1st. Not sure what I would do in your case. Sunni

In the heat of the mid south you can usually skip spraying unless the night time temperatures drop below 80. 80 however is only a general rule of thumb. During our last heat wave in the upper 90's, I skipped spraying even though the night time temps hovered around 78 to 79. Only one rose developed a minimal amount of B.S. and it's very prone to that disease (and will probably be replaced). I use Banner Maxx during high summer because it can go 3 weeks without repeat if conditions are relatively dry. I use Indicate 5 along with all my spray materials. Recently a rainy spell was predicted so I had to gear up to spray even though the front hadn't moved in yet and the temps/humidity were still high. I sprayed late in the evening when it finally dropped down to 89 degrees. The roses had been well watered beforehand. I did see some minimal damage to some of the rose leaves from burn, but it was certainly nothing like the BS I would have had during this period if I hadn't sprayed at all. Pick your poison so to speak. I always think about what Mike in Louisianna says about spraying, but the few times I've sprayed when it was in the 90's I'm sorry to report that I did have at best moderate damage. But maybe there were other differences in our situation.

Why spray the rhodies? Do you have any problems? The sprays are poisons and should only be used where needed and not used indiscriminately on everything. I never spray my rhodies. I let nature take its course. It usually solves most problems. I do remove diseased material. Often spraying for one problem will cause other problems. The total interaction needs to be known. The major toxicological concern from exposure to mancozeb is the hazard to the human thyroid from presence of ethylenethiourea (ETU), a contaminant, degradation product, and metabolite present in mancozeb and other EDC products. ETU is an acknowledged goitrogen, teratogen and oncogen. For many of us, this past winter our plants took a beating with the very unusual winters some of us had with warm weather followed by late freezes. They have what is more typical of drought damage but in this case was caused by the warm weather followed by late freezes. It causes Botryosphaeria dothidea which causes leaves to turn dull green and then brown and roll and droop. Cankers form on branches which may girdle the branch. This is the most common disease of rhododendrons in the landscape. A typical symptom of this fungal disease is scattered dying branches on an otherwise healthy plant. Leaves on infected stems turn brown, then droop and roll inward. These leaves often lay flat against the stem and will remain attached. The pathogen can infect all ages of stem tissue through wounds, pruning cuts, and leaf scars. Heat, drought stress, and winter injury can increase disease incidence. Cankers on branches can gradually grow through the wood until the stem becomes girdled. Diseased wood is reddish brown in appearance. Discolored wood viewed in longitudinal cross section often forms a wedge that points toward the center of the stem, and the pith may be darker brown than the surrounding wood. Sanitation and applying a fungicide such as metalaxyl (Subdue) after pruning my provide some control. Plants should be grown in partial shade, with mulch and kept well watered during dry periods. All dying branches should be promptly pruned out in dry weather and all discolored wood should be removed. Plants should also be protected from rough treatment during maintenance activities to prevent unnecessary wounds.

Dear Irisawe: Here in Canada, my standard iris borer remedy, Cygon II E, is no longer sold. Too dangerous, apparently. I am trying to find alternatives. Below, some recommendations that have come my way. CHUCK CHAPMAN RECOMMENDS FOR IRISES Dormant oil: Apply in spring when leaves about 4-5" on TBs. Dormant oil applications must be made when temperatures stay above freezing for 24 hours. Be sure to follow all label directions because oil sprays may damage certain plants, including Amur maple, Japanese maple, redbud, and sugar maple. In addition, the foliage (needles) of Colorado blue spruce can be discolored (change from blue to green) by dormant oil applications. OR You can also use malathion. Also at the same time. Recommendations: Removal and burning of dead leaves in the fall will eliminate a number of the iris borer eggs. Larvae can also be killed by hand in June bye squeezing infested leaves in the vicinity of the injury. During division, rotted and heavily infested rhizomes should be discarded. Borers in lightly infested rhizomes can be killed by poking them with a piece of wire. Chemical control can also be effective. Start spraying when growth first starts until about June 1. Normally, two applications are needed. Recommended insecticides include malathion and imidacloprid. Spraying with malathion once a week during April and May may kill the young larvae before they bore into the plants. Consult the labels for dosage rates and safety precautions. Another idea First, always maintain a clean garden. If you see the borers in the leaves, simply squash them. We recommend using the insecticide Cygon 2-E. Spray in two week intervals from about the time the tulips bloom through mid-summer. A 10% solution of Murphy's Oil Soap (one part soap for every nine parts water) can be used as an organic alternative to Cygon. May be helpful, maybe not!