On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 21:32:27 GMT, Elliot Richmond
wrote:

I like all of these except the prickly pear. In my experience they are
hard to keep in check. How do you prune a prickly pear? Also, they
seem to often become infected with that white fungus. What is your
experience?

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

I have one in the front bed which has a pink cast to the new foliage and a very
light lemon colored flower in spring. It's beautiful. I haven't had much
trouble with keeping it in bounds, nor have I had any trouble (knock on wood)
with powdery mildew. Maybe if it's watered too much it can get that. They are
not hard to prune or keep in bounds. Whenever I did have to keep one in check,
I'd roll up about 20 sheets of newspaper, wearing long rose gloves and go in
with a small pruning saw. Not hard at all. Just takes patience and maybe the
help of another person, also in long gloves!

V