denninmi, I think I've been down some of those streets while visiting your side of the state. In some areas it is very obvious that there have been massive tree die offs. As we travel along the main highways to visit relatives in Ohio and Pennsylvania it is obvious when we reach areas where EAB is rampant. One, if not the first, outbreak in the west side of the state is thought to have started at a shopping center a few miles from our home. From what I've heard, ash trees for landscaping were brought in from a SE Michigan nursery which was not supposed to be shipping any ash trees at the time. And, not surprisingly, they were infected with the borers. The city responded by cutting all ash trees within a certain distance...maybe a mile out, I can't remember the exact distance, but it was a large area. For weeks crews were cutting and chipping trees from yards and parks. And yet it did not look like a clear cut because there are alot of other species in the area. It did not surprise me when other infestations were found soon afterwards in other parts of the city. It seems like cutting and quarantine come too late to stop this critter. Like denninmi mentioned, there are some homeowner control methods that are looking very promising. A business park and a college campus outside the quarantine area took preventive action before any other EAB sites were found. They had key landscape trees identified and began have them treated regularly. Both places still have healthy ashes while most other places have lost some key specimens. Around here there is a group working hard to get up to date info out to homeowners. I got a strange look when I told my husband I was going to be attending a "Save Your Ash" workshop put on by a local environmental group. University researchers told of their latest findings, arborist told of their treatment methods, and city foresters told of options available to homeowners. A final part covered cultural impacts, something I hadn't considered. A Native American who is a renowned basket maker shared how his heritage is threatened by the possible extinction of black ash trees. His family's traditional harvesting swampland is unaffected as yet, but he was extremely concerned about the very likely loss of an age old cultural tradition. Black ash logs can be beaten, and the wood will separate between the growth rings. It is then cut into the weaving strips needed for baskets. No other wood works as well. He had the best business card I've ever seen. A clear label with his business info was applied to a paper thin piece of his basket making black ash splint and cut to card size. I hope his children can have the some card materials 30 years from now, but I'm fearful that will not be possible.

yep, I've warned people about them. I was actually told by the seller that the reason I'm having problems with them (some dropped before ripening completely, so I picked the rest before they turned fully red) is that I'm not fertilizing them enough. Ok, I will go for it causing fruit drop... maybe..... but the heat level, and fruit shape? Thanks for all the offers of seeds, It's really sweet of you, but I'll just bite the bullet and buy more... This time from the Chile Pepper Institute. :-)

LOLOLOL...The squirrels have been horrible for me too in area I didn't think to put repellant....They are eating strange things..Mines sit on my fence eating my Lilac leaves and the other day my Roses, stems and all? Did they come from another planet planted by aliens this year? Just NUTS...lol Thank God mine don't touch my Citrus, although one did get stuck in my greenhouse and chomped on my Orchid bulbs...Then drowned in the pond in there...

No droopy plants or shrubs now, everything looked weighed down for several days. What is left of the beat up hostas is standing upright too, I’m in a quandary what to do with them. Ken would probably say to leave what’s there to feed the roots, just hard to look at them. The daylily leaves are browning a bit where their leaves were torn so they are looking a bit tired. Another sore spot is I might lose my campanula, a few heuchera and couple perennial geranium. We’ve had so much rain that there are curling leaves and yellowing happening. This garden is definitely having a less than stellar year. Sherry