Sue, Thank you for helping me out! I have a few daffodils. They have been neglected this year. So I am not sure exactly what I will have for trade. This is there second full year with me. I didn't get to pay much attention to who bloomed well this year though. Plus I never have felt comfortable about digging up and storing. I tend to get nervous and worry that I will kill them. But if you are willing to walk me through it and if I have something that you are interested in maybe we can trade. I will go out and check to see. Here is some that I might have for trade... At Dawning 1 W-P Amber Castle 2 YYW-WYY Arkle 1 Y-Y Barrett Browning 3 WWY-O Bee Mabley 3 W-YYO Bell Song 7 W-P Blue Bird 2 W-W Bobwhite 7 Y-Y Bright Candle 2 Y-R Ceylon 2 Y-O Cuesta 2 W-GYP Glenfarclas 1 Y-O Golden Rapture 1 Y-Y Hoopoe 8 Y-O Kamau 9 W-GYR Ladies' Choice 7 W-W Motmot 8 Y-R Mysty Glen 2 W-GWW Patois 9 W-GYR Regal Bliss 2 W-GWW Ruby Throat 2 W-P Spun Honey 4 Y-y Trumpeter Swan 1 W-P Tudor Love 2 W-P Tyneham 3 W-R Veery 7 Y-Y Vigilante 1 W-W Waxwing 5 W-W If there is something that might interest you let me know and I can go check. Tracy

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if they were neglected by the store - it was kmart and they were on clearance... I think they had some of the yellowing then, but i don't think it was as bad. I went to osh two nights ago, the guy working there pointed me towards some Orchard Citrus and avocado fertilizer, so i used about a tablespoon of that on each plant and watered thoroughly after applying. It was 10-4-10 mix I believe. I'm not sure if it was for potted plants, I'll have to check. That is the only fertilizer I've applied to the plants. I've been watering once every couple days. The one in the black pot is in the original soil from the store, the one in the tan pot was put in a potting soil mix. They are on the south side of the house. The temps have mid 70s to low 80s during the day, low to high 60s at night. They were in an outdoors covered patio at kmart when i bought them, now they are in direct sunlight from probably 7am to 4pm Thanks

Question:"Threedodsmom (waht a cute name!), what is the yellow flower in your fist picture? And I love the lush look in your second picture. I see some dark red in there. What are they?" Answer: standard button garden mum planted last fall, blooming now in July. A happy coincidence ! Dark red touches are Jacob Cline monarda, knockout rose new growth showing, and canna "Wyoming" leaves. Second Question: "Threedogsmom, I have those exact daylilies that are in your first picture - rust with bright yellow - a gift with no name tag. I always wondered but assumed they are just a variety of Ditch Lily. Is that right, or do you have some other name for them?" Answer: They are not the common ditch lilies - you can see a ditch lily in my second pic down, to the right, a tall scape towards the front/right of the bed. You can see more pics in the "poised for lily explosion" thread I started. I do not remember the name of the burgundy and yellow daylilies in the first pic, but they have multiplied very well in just 2 years ! Got at Lowe's.

Nat, I did additional research, and I am 99% certain that these are Western Flower Thrips. While they do not generally cause damage, if brought inside, they can infest indoor flowers. I do a soak of my peonies before bringing them inside to get rid of ants on the blossoms, but apparently those thrips can withstand a greater time underwater! I soaked mine for 45 minutes and brought them inside and it seems as if MOST of them are gone. The water doesn't seem to have any adverse affect on the blooms, since they usually withstand the rain pretty well. Now, to practical matters. What do we do to get rid of these. There are a number of beneficial insects that will help get rid of them, but, I have found, that these seldom work. And not to mention expensive. What sucks is that they are on the blooms, which makes chemical controls a problem as well. If you Google the thrips and beneficials, you should be able to find a good selection. I am beyond that at this point. I see that my iris are also infested, although to a lesser extent. Diatomaceous Earth can be a good way, if used carefully to get them, BUT, again, they need to come in contact with it. I have a systemic organophosphate that I am going to use so that I can get the bugs without having to get the flowers. It has Acephate AND Fenbutaine Oxide, both will kill thrips, and since Acephate is systemic, it will get them without application to the flowers, although the time to get to the flowers probably won't matter THIS year. It will probably help your clematis. I am SURE there will be plenty of people with help on the non-chemical side. I used to be all chemicals - spray the nastiest thing I could find, and now that is a last resort, but these tiny things, in my view warrant it! By the way, LOVE your peony pics. I think we have at least one white variety in common, althoug I forget the name! Sorry for my long-windedness! You are the ONLY reply I have had - and I posted in the Pests/Diseases forum as well! Good luck!!!!