SRS, I'll check on the Immunox and have bookmarked that link for the P-Vine to check out. She generally is into organic gardening so I'd be surprised if we're using anything nasty... But, hey, if baking soda works, great...

We got 1.2 inches of slow rain over the last 36 hours and today the sun is out so I'm expecting a lot of growth. We've had some damage allready to several hostas which the deer ate the tops out of as they were coming up so those will be slightly deformed this year. I've sprayed everything with Liquid Fence (organic) so the deer will leave them alone until we have accumulated 5 inches worth of rain when I'll have to repeat.

Our azaleas are popping out which is real nice. We are members of the Northern Virginia Azalea Society since there isn't one in this part of Wes Ginny and have several yet-to-be-named plants from the hybridizers who are members of the Society that just have nubers on the tags. Kinda like mystery, pot luck plants... Camillias are in full bloom...

Question:

We have an Empire Apple tree which has never made any apples. We have a Courtland which we thought would polinate the Empire but that hasn't happened. Will any other apple tree polinate it. If so, can I go to the nearest orchard, shake some polin into an envelope and shake it onto the blooms on my Empire?

Bobert