"Shiva" wrote in message
s.com...

This is hairsplitting of the highest degree. The same mold or other
fungus spores that cause downy mildew on peach trees causes downy
mildew on rose plants. Once on the rose plant, it gets the "rosae"
tag, Latin for "of rose" simply because in that particular case it is
ON A ROSE PLANT.

Excellent points. It could well be, that whatever was bothering my roses,
was what was eating my fruit trees, although the symptoms may not have been
identical. Same disease, different effects. I'm hoping that Messenger gives
my fruit trees enough resistance this year to ward off the rotting blight
that ruins every last peach. My neighbor came over this afternoon, and
commented on how noticeably free of blackspot my roses are, and was
impressed by the significant difference in my group of seven Messenger
treated mini in pots, vs. the seven controls.

I hope this is not a "diminishing returns" sort of thing, where the effects
will lessen over time. I don't expect this product to be a "magic bullet,"
but if it gives my plants enough of a boost so they can fight more of their
own battles, that's less chemical warfare I have to wage. I use a modified
IPM program, but have had to resort to the Weapons of Fungal Destruction
when the determination of the local fungus population overwhelms the care I
have taken to provide a fungus-unfriendly habitat. The botrytis outbreak was
quickly curbed by the prompt application of the Banner Maxx mixture I
sprayed last week. And I hope keeping the rose gardens airy and uncrowded
discourages its return anytime soon.


Scopata Fuori


"Bad cat!"