This was posted on another forum in the form of a warning paper from Rutgers University Research. Bonnie Plants is exactly what I got at Lowe's for first try at raising tomatoes since my father asked for them long past time to sow seed. Ironic fact is I have to go back to big box stores where I got tomato plants to buy fungicide recommended for application as preventative measure. Excerpt from Rutgers Bulletin: "Homeowners do have a few products that are registered for use; the most effective ones have the common name of chlorothalonil which will be on the label. These products are only effective if used before the disease appears and should be reapplied every 5-7 days if cool, wet weather persists. Chlorothalonil is a protectant fungicide, with no systemic movement in the plant, so thorough coverage is necessary. Copper applications are not as effective as chlorothalonil." I've even got my first fruits on plants but I don't want to risk disaster by not treating preventatively now. What a bummer. Here is a link that might be useful: Rutgers News Bulletin

Well, congratulations, Christy! Since the plant is so tiny and the leaves are in contact with mulch, the leaf cutter can be just about anything, insects like JBs to caterpillars. You may want to stop by un-announced at night to see if you see the culprit(s). But normally, hydrangeas do not suffer much from leaf cutting pests. By that, I mean a pest will not defoliate a whole bush like JBs can due to some roses. I have some leaf cutter bees in the area and I take no action because their damage is limited or occurs late in the season (when the leaves are bound to dry out in the fall anyway). You may want to take a picture for reference purpose too and compare it to another taken in a few days or a week. If there appears to be no change, the pest may have moved on. This is an useful way to track such problems.

I'm on Step 2 but have been there for about 20 years. After admitting I have the problem, I discovered that if I leave plastic at home and Bring Only Cash it adds the inconvenience of needing to go back and pick up what I have on hold. Then, of course, with the admonishment to myself that I really don't NEED that gorgeous tropical that just arrived I break. Step 3? Don't even know what that involves. LOL Also LOL the Miata. My Focus sun roof has been opened many a time with plants stuck out the top. The trick is to always have a "back roads" way home. Makes for interesting excursions when the nursery is 60 miles away. And, of course, one always needs to leave room for the undiscovered gem that those backroad nurseries always seem to produce and then LEAP into the car. To help overcome the glut of homeless plants, I resisted catalogs a lot this year, relying instead on local nurseries. That hasn't helped, as the workers have gotten to know me and have kindly held out special stuff knowing full well I'll be back within a week. Other problem is time in the garden to get everything planted when one is running around buying. This is resolved by succombing to being "sick" on particularly gorgeous days. The large corporation I work for instructs its managers on how to recognize addiction when it influences one's work. Easy to get around that as my bosses wife is a begonia collector and she and I have been known to simultaneously come down with a mysterious illness at the exact same time. Don't get discouraged. The addiction can be broken as evidenced by my mother who at age 74 forewent all in-the-ground gardening this year in anticipation of having her kidney removed. Several hundreds of dollars of containers later, she's quite content :-) Martie

This happened to me years ago and although it’s an old thread, I wanted to comment in case it help anyone. I experienced the same symptoms as most on this thread- I went to see all kinds of specialists but when I finally went to my general doctor, he fixed me. Literally made a difference in 15 min. He is a general practitioner but also certified to do manipulations which is different than a chiropractor. He did tests to see if I may have MS or carpel tunnel. But those target specific fingers. He then made me stand up and checked my back. BOOM! I had three ribs out of place. Finally after 6+ months of my right hand tingling and bruising, I had an answer. Dislocated ribs sometimes don’t cause pain BUT if they pinch the right nerve, it can cause all the symptoms to your arm and fingers. Popped blood vessels etc. he adjusted me (again, different from a chiropractor) and within 15 min I felt relief in my arm hand and fingers. Now, anytime I feel tingling, I go see him and sure enough, my rib is out. People can displace ribs with a sneeze. Sometimes it causes pain and other times you can’t even tell. A miracle for me.