A few years ago, our David52 guided me away from Daconil as a fungicide choice in the ornamental gardens. It just wasn't up to the job and finding a fungicide that had some systemic strength made all the difference in the world with some things.

Rust in snapdragons was often a big problem. Switching to Immunox meant I could come out of the growing season with a death-from-rust rate of 0%. Black spot on zinnias can also be held in check so that the darn stuff doesn't climb the plants and overtake the flowers by season's end.

I don't usually spray the delphiniums with anything. Some bugs (probably earwigs) eat a few holes in lower flowers. I never see any other bug evidence - so why spray?

But, then there's mildew . . . One planting of delphiniums is west of a board fence and a large lilac and east of other tall perennials. Air movement is poor and mildew shows up - every year, until this year.

I decided to try it and the Immunox did its job at putting a stop to the mildew! Up the delphiniums went. They were beautiful, tall spires until I watered them . . . while the wind was blowing. Down the crashed!!

All those boards, lilac branches, and tall perennials cut down on the sunlight. Those delphiniums grew a little too tall, and too thin.

I can't take down the fence and don't want to chop down the lilac and dig up the other perennials. Maybe I'd better stop trying to grow delphiniums where they can't be healthy and happy. Luckily, there are delphiniums elsewhere that appear to be both.

Steve