They will eat everything on a pepper or tomato plant. Even the peppers themselves. Some people spray their plants with seaweed extract to both feed their plants and repel insects. Its not foolproof but it helps. Too high a dose and you can do more harm than good. One half to one Tablespoon per gallon of water sprayed at sun up or just before sundown.Don't spray during the day or it will damage your plants. The same is true of nearly all insecticidal oils, sprays and soaps. In the fruit and Orchard Forum Spectracide Once and Done is mentioned all the time. Its not organic but it is supposed to be safe. Another one used is Bonide Horticultural Oil. If you are only dealing with small things like aphids and whiteflies a few drops of Ivory Soap in a spray bottle will do the trick. But you have to spray each time you see them and then spray it off with water before it dries. I just carry around the spray bottle and drag a garden hose around set to a fine mist to wash it off. Here is a link that might be useful: Spectracide

First, I'm a big fan of mixing different finishes in decor, as long as they harmonize. I think I would be able to live with a light cherry bed in an otherwise walnut room... Second, while that article on strippers is very helpful, in my country the chemical ingredients are not always listed, so you need to sit down in the supply store and read labels on all the products available for ease of use and clean-up. I've recently retested a bunch of strippers for removing "just" varnish-type finishes (though antique only, not sure if your modern finish would qualify), and find that the strippers deemed "safe" are doing pretty well - nice as they can be used indoors. The downside of all of them is that they require water clean-up, and not all wood structures take well to being washed. If you think that would be a problem, try something called EZWay, available by mail order. It does not require water clean-up. But for me it is a "do outside only" product as it smells. Third, have you considered buying used, via craigslist or a local thrift/consignment/used furniture store? Especially if you're willing to tinker and perhaps refinish, you should be able to find some nice deals. KarinL

Why not just mow then down? I agree it looks like a tree. They generally can't take sustained mowing.

OK...I'm going to give you a little piece of advice re: Certified Inspector. You aren't going to like it but here we go: The inspection report belongs to the person/company who PAID for it. If the company pays for the inspector (what type of certification?) then the company OWNS the report and has NO NEED to share the results with you. The only way you can compel them to release the document is through the courts during 'disclosure'. Don't panic! There is a way around this. Find/pay for your OWN flooring inspector. Yep. A few hundred bucks and the inspection can happen as QUICKLY as you need it to happen. Even though this is a vinyl floor, you can reach out to the National Wood Flooring Association (www.nwfa.org) to find out where you can find Certified Flooring Inspectors. I've seen inspectors respond/arrive at the property within DAYS of first contact. In your situation, you are paying huge amounts of money to stay 'out' of the house. You need to, financially, get back INTO the house. That means the FASTER you get an inspection, the faster you get resolution. I'm going to bet my first born that you will NOT see hide nor hair of that inspector's report. And someone is going to say it was 'installation error' and then deny you the claim. Which leaves you exactly where you are right now....which is out of the house and pointing fingers at the GC. You can head this off at the pass (so to speak). You can hire YOUR OWN inspector and have your OWN document that states 'installation error' (which would make TWO documents from two separate inspectors stating install error) and that will be one HECK of a 'big stick' you can use against the GC. While you wait for your OWN inspector to call you back (because you googled everything as soon as you read my post) you will need to pull out your FLOORING contract (where ever/whatever that is) and look up how much you paid for SUBFLOOR preparation. And then, because you are already digging around in the house, you will also find/print the INSTALLATION instructions for your product. You will have BOTH of these documents ready for your own inspector to come in and view the project. As for the baseboards...leave them OFF. The flooring inspector (both yours and theirs) will have to SEE the expansion gap at the walls. Which is SUPER HELPFUL if the baseboards are NOT installed. Please tell us what product you used (brand, line, name, specs) and we will see if we can dig up a few bits and pieces for you. I can tell you right now, the expansion gap at the walls is probably too small. Are there any transition strips through doorways? Most vinyl has maximum runs...and those runs are determined by the CLICK SYSTEM. A thin product with a low-grab click edge has a maximum run of 25 feet and must ALWAYS have transition strips through doorways. A thicker product with a high-grab click system will have a maximum run of 40 feet which may NOT need a transition strip through doorways...but sometimes it needs it simply because of the total run or the width of the doorway. Whew! Lots to work with. Leave the baseboards OFF, call your OWN inspector and dig up every single stick of information you have on your flooring contract and on your floor product itself. You are going to need all of it.