Milk spray works against fungal infections on plants because of the lactobacillus and other types of cultures in it. Dunno about pasteurised milk, but adding some yogurt to the milky make the spray out of would probably ensure or increase its efficacy. I once used just "micro filtered" milk mixed with water and it worked. For the cypress tree disease in Italy, Neem oil (be sure to get the one made for mixing with water) mixed with Marseille soap, sprayed with a big agricultural sprayer, on the tree, and the trunk and on the ground around the tree, when the temperatures won't rise above 30 degrees centigrade, used with magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts)--a few heaping soup spoonsful scattered on the ground around each tree twice a year, or a stronger magnesium solution poured on the ground if the tree is really pale and wan, along with watering weakest trees in periods of drought helps. It is important to also prune allthe dead branches out and to take off any damage at the tip of the tree. The trees can grow back if there is even one good branch left, it will form a new tree. You need to spray in the weather which puts them most at risk, hot humid weather when it rains in the summer--it is tricky to time it properly. Be sure not to plant anything against the trunk that would hold water on the trunk, as it can cause the trunk to rot and kill the tree. I have the idea of trying using the natural mineral fertiliser fulvic acid around the trees at the beginning of summer. The magnesium sulphate makes the trees visibly greener. Neem oil seems to be more than a fungicide and insecticide, it seems to nourish the trees too. Another possibility for the fungal diseases is Effective Microorganisms (EM). The magnesium sulphate furnishes the central mineral that they need to use to make chlorophyl which should help them fight the disease by raising their metabolism. These things should help combat fungal disease on roses too.

Exactly what MeyerMike said. RIght now for me this is exactly the case. We just had a weird heat wave come through. Temps WERE in the high 60's/low 70's, with nighttime temps dipping as low as the high 40's. Pretty typical for fall here where I live in the middle of "citrus country". Yesterday it was 94 for a high, and don't think it was below 65 last night - very balmy. It has been warmer over the last few days, and I am seeing small flushes here and there with my citrus. Which also means root growth as John has mentioned (you cannot have leaf flush without first having root growth). But, temps will drop back down this weekend, which is normal. So, over the winter we see grow and stop, grow and stop. Pretty normal for citrus, so your citrus would experience the same thing as citrus growing in-ground. Perfectly normal through the winter months. Patty S.

Thanks for the input! I guess the famous red tomato mulch was a waste of money (not that I thought it would help that much, but hey, on the off chance....). The containers are sort of a medium light blue, I think the same color as yours, atascosa, but I don't think I will have to resort to shielding them as I know, being a former Texan, your sun is much more intense that here in NC. But I definitely will keep that in mind, if replacing the plastic mulch with white doesn't do the trick. Thanks again, guys.

Thank you, agnespuffin. Another calmer sibling was told of the situation today, and seemed to understand where his brother was coming from, and also the doctor. (It's interesting to be on the outside looking in on the workings of these people.) He says he knows his brother's heart and that he wouldn't do anything to harm the situation, but thinks he used poor judgement in the way he went about it. Too bad my husband always looks guilty no matter what he does. Unfortunately, the doctor is trained to look for things and has to report anything he feels is off. It will be interesting to hear what the 4th sib has t say. Thank you again.