[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by PaPaLarry

Do you have problems with your Oleanders and caterpilars??? Seems like they just keep coming back after spraying!!

There is a moth that uses Oleander as a host, laying it's eggs in clusters you can see on the underside of leaves. The caterpillars, once hatched can munch the plant pretty good. You can cut the leaves with eggs off, seal them tightly in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the eggs. Then toss the bag in the garbage. Wear gloves - as sap can irritate the skin.
Some think that dwarf Oleanders (still pretty large) are less likely affected. I would plant those varieties.

The moth looks rather like a large, black and white polka dot wasp. You will see it in the daytime (it's not nocturnal) Caterpillars are orange w/ black hairs.

I'm told that giving the soil around the oleander a neem oil mixture drench about every two weeks (as a preventative) usually helps. ( I use it on a number of my plants) The eating cycle for these caterpillars lasts about 20 days a year.

The recommendation if you see caterpillars is to mix up a bucket of sudsy, soapy water and (with gloves) pluck them off and drown them. Actually more effective than chemical sprays.
If your oleanders are very tall, and you really want to spray, try a hose applicator that you can put lemon dish soap into and hit the underside of the leaves with a good blast. That will help until it rains again and the soap gets washed off.
P.S. Oleanders affected will not die from getting chewed. They live a long time.

[CFrance]

People around our neighborhood have planted ginger, and I really liked the variegated green/yellow leaves. However lately I've noticed the leaves on their plants are turning brown. Even noticed this in some landscaping around Milennia Mall, which has full time gardeners. So now I'm not so sure about this plant's ability to stay beautiful year-round.

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by CFrance

People around our neighborhood have planted ginger, and I really liked the variegated green/yellow leaves. However lately I've noticed the leaves on their plants are turning brown. Even noticed this in some landscaping around Milennia Mall, which has full time gardeners. So now I'm not so sure about this plant's ability to stay beautiful year-round.

They are a little tender in our zone, but carefully placed in a spot protected from abundant sun and nestled from cold, they are magnificent.
Sometimes we can have a micro-climate spot somewhere on our property that will allow us our more tropical delights!

[PaPaLarry]

How about "Butterfly" bushes? Saw article in paper on smaller bushes for pots. I have a butterfly bush, from Virginia Beach that was given to me, and is flourishing right now. (not as rich green like holly, but seems to grow great)

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by PaPaLarry

How about "Butterfly" bushes? Saw article in paper on smaller bushes for pots. I have a butterfly bush, from Virginia Beach that was given to me, and is flourishinh right now. (not as rich green like holly, but seems to grow great)

That would be lovely. Are they miniature? What size pot?

[Jim 9922]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Is there any shrub that you can recommend (other than knock-out roses) that is frost hardy, blooms year round, and requires little maintenance?

The Morse family money tree. OOPS; did I say a bad thing?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

The Morse family money tree. OOPS; did I say a bad thing?

[batman911]

QVC has been selling Flutterby Butterfly bushes.

[Uptown Girl]

Butterfly bush (Buddleia) blooms spring through fall. They are open branched and lovely in bloom. It's recommended here in Florida to cut them back about 1/3 in early spring, before new growth.

I have not used it here, but we had many scattered throughout the townhouse complex we lived in up North. Sadly, they had to remove all of them within two years. The bushes we had were very susceptible to powdery mildew and spider mites, even with regular treatment.
Butterflies LOVE them, but only if the plants are healthy.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by CFrance

That would be lovely. Are they miniature? What size pot?

Mine is about 3 ft high right now with purple flowers, blooming right now. (Planted in ground) The article I saw on minature Butterfly bushes, required pretty good size pots. I'm pretty sure the article was in last saturdays paper.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

Butterfly bush (Buddleia) blooms spring through fall. They are open branched and lovely in bloom. It's recommended here in Florida to cut them back about 1/3 in early spring, before new growth.

I have not used it here, but we had many scattered throughout the townhouse complex we lived in up North. Sadly, they had to remove all of them within two years. The bushes we had were very susceptible to powdery mildew and spider mites, even with regular treatment.
Butterflies LOVE them, but only if the plants are healthy.

Can you start another cutting from plant? This time of year