I have reblooming Blue REview Iris for postage if you are interested. It looks like this.

And yes calliope, non-native bugs, blights, fungi and diseases have wreaked havoc on many of our natives once they got imported here. Those were unfortunately a by-product of bringing plant material from other places; the chestnut blight, for example, came in on an Asian chestnut stock that was brought over as a new landscape plant. Their ability to eat and affect the American cousins of their host plant was unfortunate. This is what I am getting at, not only can alien insects thrive on our native trees, our native insects can thrive on alien trees. It works both ways. I'm in your camp actually about introduced species, but pandora's box is already open now. Yes, yes, yes there are overused non-native trees and many of them are weeds when they reach our shores. I live near a city where urban planting is rife with bradford pear they replace and replace as they die. Burning bushes run ramplant through the landscapes from escape from gardens. We absolutely need to rethink it and I support that movement. But it lacks credibility when it's applied too broadly to an either/or choice.

Cooling degree days are absolutely helpful for me as I come to realize that my tomatoes do very well if I set them out when the Forsythia approaches full bloom (774 gdd) not unlike that old phrase to plant corn when the dogwood blooms. (166 gdd) That peculiar saying of planting tomatoes on Memorial Day here in CT is borscht because I would never be able to pick by the 4th of July if I followed that gibberish. It is time to spray plum trees when GDD is 1000 as that is when the bugs return to the trees. With some accuracy, I can predict when the locust (1447 gdd) will sing, when the peepers (794 gdd) will be heard, when the crickets (1478 gdd) start to keep me awake at night not to mention the Katydids (1929 gdd). When I compared by tracking of first color of a plant, when full bloom happens and when the plant is done blooming then compared it with my mother's hand written notes from the 60s and 70s, I can see that they are in fact blooming later in the year. After four years of tracking GDD, I can start to guess see all this in numbers. Granted, there will be some variance of a few dozen GDD but it can be tracked. The longer I do,the more accurate it gets. I believe that these numbers are independent of zone or location if these plants and insects are present. If I filter my list by GDD, I can see which plants will bloom together so I can plant them with each other for special splashed of color at times throughout the year. Jack will be preaching from his pulpit on 749 gdd. Start looking for fireflies at 724 gdd. After all, isn't that what it is all about?

How I wish you had all been here to help and taste! I revamped my recipe a bit this year and it turned out better than in past I think. I used my pressure canner to cook it first, than BWB for 25 minutes. The house still smells of kraut. Fitting for us, I guess. Here is the recipe: Sweet and Spiced Red Cabbage 24 to 30 cups red cabbage, sliced fine (2 mm Blade on FP) 1 cup cider vinegar 2 cups red wine vinegar 2 cups brown sugar (light) 1 cup water 1 T cinnamon 1T Allspice ground ½ tsp. mace 3 bay leaves 8 whole cloves 2 sticks cinnamon 2 T salt, kosher or canning 1 cup dry red wine Place all in pressure cooker at 10 psi, and cook for 9 to 10 minutes after rocking. Let sit for 5 minutes and cool. To can: place hot cabbage well packed and liquid to ¼" headspace in quarts or pints, and BWB for 25 minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes and cool overnight (24 hours). Makes 4 qts approx. To serve, open jar, drain and heat. Check for more cinnaman. Juices could be thickened with corn starch, but I just drain it. I did 7 canner loads to cook, so results are appoximations. Now i have to deliver some jars to freinds that have been asking for it. For two people, 25 jars is way too much! Annie, green cabbage with cider vinegar and spices, like a cole slaw? I know the Polish stores sell jarred "cabbage salad". I shoudl try some and let you know the flavors. Winter eating will be good. Cabbage with pork roast, saurbraten, roladen or roast duck....