We all have to cordially agree to disagree sometimes on this forum. We do try to keep it civil.. I personally don't use the combination products either as I found them too harsh. If I see the need for an insecticide or miticide which is rare indeed, I will select and use the appropiate product for that problem and spray it by itself. I don't use any of the Bayer products as I found them mostly ineffective for my gardens, and one of them actually killed a few of my roses a couple of years back. I am now leary of all their products. First, I mix in a spreader/sticker product like Indicate 5, then I use manzate/mancozeb mixed with either Funginex by Ortho (now I believe it is known as Rose Pride on the green bottle), or Honor Guard which is a generic Banner Maxx from Rosemania. Same stuff at a slightly cheaper price that still appears to work for me anyway. When the weather is cool enough--under 80 degrees--I will sometimes even use Daconil on a rotating basis as well. I do the three different preventatives Funginex/Honor Guard/Daconil rotation to try and keep the fungal spores from becoming resistant to the use of just one of these products every time. I wish there were another product to rotate the contact fungal killer Mancozeb/Manzate with but I don't think there is currently one available. If/when I do find one I will likely rotate it with the Mancozeb/Manzate like I do the other. For most insects I use Merit at a 1/8 tsp per gallon rate. It is a systemic and seems to work well and i dont see any dead beneficials like bees and the like, only dead thrips and/or cucumber beetles as that is what I generally have to spray for on rare occasions. It seems expensive but when you only use 1/8 tsp at a time, it really isn't. A little goes a long way since all I have to spray is the very tops of the bushes where the new growth and flowers are located. I spray the flower buds before they open or just as they are starting to during thrip season. Be very careful not to spray any insecticide indiscriminantly as you can end up killing beneficials that munch on spider mites and keep them under control for you naturally. Then you end up with a spider mite infestation that can be devastating. For the one time I had spider mites from stupid insecticide spraying I used Stirrup-M pheromone mixed with Kelthane miticide both of which I got from my local nursery. Rosemania also carries them. The Kelthane worked quite quickly and completely and my spider mites were soon under control but not before doing notable damage. The Kelthane is super cheap compared to the regular miticides on the market. I think the Stirrup-M pheromone is the key as it attracts the spider mites to the miticide where they soon die just by contact with the miticide itself. I have over 200+ rose bushes so I have to try and be cost effective where possible when purchasing these items. These treatments all seem to work fine for me so far. One more thing to note. Don't let your unused products freeze in an unheated shed or garage during the winter as that can ruin them for further use. I move all mine into my basement for the winter before the first freeze hits. No sense having to throw it all away or worse yet use it and get no results because the product is ruined. Check the labels carefully as many warn you not to let the product freeze for this very reason. Just my two cents worth...... Take it or leave it... John

Good evening ladies... Forgot my password and ended up having to re register again! Anyways, please count me in on this swap Netta. Don't really have any particular theme going on at home or even favorite colors and actually do not have any Victorian decorations other than a few Xmas ornaments. SO...anything goes with me and I am easily pleased. Trying to keep inspired to craft as I cannot stop now- too many supplies on hand and I hate wasting. Like doing swaps that are one on one so this should be a fun one. Elsie, are you Elsie Robinson from THS of years ago? If so, I still have my ornaments that we swapped!!! Thanks, Carmen

Deb--I am so terribly sorry--I am having an awful time right now--might lose my job and my home--I asked my son in law to mail your pkg--he got home last night from a business trip and it is still in his back seat!!!! It will go out today-Thanks to all saying a prayer for me--I am taking a big chance being on this computer now--but felt I needed to let you know--my pkg from you did arrive and it is wonderful!!!Please post the pic for all to see--it was the only bright spot in my day-- Jeanette

My 15 year old niece has been reading cookbooks, and asking for them as Christmas/birthday gifts, since she was about 8. She can now tell you more about world history and cultures than one ever gets out of formal education. In addition, she's a darned good cook who first started getting paid for cooking/baking when she was 12. She's the one who has planned and will be masterminding our family's Thanksgiving meal. I read cookbooks, too, but only vaguely remember those cooks.