From our county which is a major producer of tomatoes, there used to be no problems with white flies. Winter got 'em. Then farmers started extending their tomato season (and getting more $$$ for the out of season vine ripened tomatoes) by growing their earliest tomatoes in poly houses, and along with the $$$ came some major white fly problems. Fortunately the tomato growin' is about twenty to thirty miles down wind of my roses.

I never knew it was supposed to be good luck to make a wish at 11:11 on 11/11/11, so I guess I missed my chance too. However, all day long, I was mindful that it was Veterans Day and that we, as a nation and as individuals, owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all those who have served, are serving or will someday serve in our military. I think we are lucky, and not just at 11:11 on 11/11/11 to live in a nation where so many millions of our citizens have been ready, willing and able to join up, serve in the military, and preserve all the freedoms we have, including the freedom to garden. If any veterans are reading this, thanks for serving our nation.

OK, you guys are awesome. I couldn't even read the posts until now because I would start to cry again. Isn't that silly? I usually have more perspective than this. I think my extended family (parents, siblings, etc.) has been more upset over how long this has taken than me. They seem to get mad at me that I haven't gotten madder before now, it has been driving them crazy and they don't even live here. :) But that is why I feel guilty about it. My job usually gives me perspective. I tear up a little sometimes when I am sitting with a dying patient, when I am hugging the family after pronouncing a patient that has just died and telling them their loved one is really gone, or talking to someone that just received a very grave diagnosis. I try to wait until the ride home to cry when I loose a patient I have come to know over weeks, months, or even years. But I don't usually cry over kitchens. My awesome brother who helps everyone, used to go to get a Christmas tree with me every year and bring a gas powered chain saw to cut it down. One year while I was looking for the "perfect" tree, he cut down Christmas trees for all the elderly and single women trying to do it themselves that he could find. When I called to him that I had it, "the" tree, he pulled the chain and pulled the chain. He was out of gas! He borrowed a hand saw and cut MY tree down by hand. But he still went back with me the next year. :) So when I needed a tree in my front yard cut down, he offered to do it. That day he said, you know I am going to do my best, but I usually only do my own because there is no gaurantee this tree won't land on your house. My brother rarely does less than a good job on anything, but darn it, didn't that tree land on the house. I stood and couldn't do anything becuase I was laughing so hard. When I could talk again I said, well you get what you pay for sometimes! Anyway, the moral of my story is that despite having good intentions and a good heart and doing your best, sometimes s**t happens. No matter how hard you try, no one promises life will be easy or fair. Besides, while I have been doing a "budget" remodel of the kitchen and livingroom for 20,000.00, many people can't afford to remodel at all, or are trying to do on much less, so I am actually pretty fortunate. You all have made me feel so much better! I am not used to being the one getting the hugs and support, I usually give them and I do so appreciate it. Now I need to suck it up and I will take a trip out to buy a great big umbrella to go over my patio table so I can enjoy the heat wave that is supposed to come later this week and get out of this darned mess! I just wish I felt happier about going out to do it. Maybe I will when I see out there and sit down under it to have lunch. Sue

Yes I have them in full sun and I have been feeding with Tapin root once a month and also I water with my earthworm tea :) and on very hot sunny days, all my Adeniums get misted with the earthworm tea (I've been doing the tea for 2 years now and my plants love it). I wish I could get rid of these spidermites quicker, but I am conquering them :) Those Plumeria cuttings/plants are looking great. I have the 2 Plumerias that I rooted right away (one was the white one...it now has an inflo) and they are growing well. Plus most of the others I let dry for 3 weeks, seems to be all rooting/growing leaves, except for one (it was a cutting from my Hawaiian Plumeria), but I will try again:) The mother of the white one is growing well and is sprouting leaves on all the 7 stems, but not putting out new growth where I took the cutting from. I will be ready to send you a cutting of the white one, but how short is too short for a cutting? The longest of the 7 stems is right at 6", would that be a long enough cutting? I usually cut at around 7" or so, but I can cut it and send it if you think that's good. They have been well away from my greenhouse (where the spidermites are), but maybe once you receive the Plumeria cutting and the small Bromeliads, you might want to keep them away from your plants for a while....just in case! Happy Gardening, Jeannie :)