Crepe Myrtle - Buds?

[PAUL2229]

looks good mate.

ive got some myrtles down the side of the driveway that have been beaten back for years and there are a couple of branches that would make incredible trunks so I might give this a go

[Beano]

Paul, probably should air layer it. I would have layered mine but couldn't trust my downstairs neighbours not to touch it.

I've recently taken some smaller cuttings off the bougainvillea out front once I discovered it is orange (my favourite). I think it's the one that fades to pink. What a disappointing shrub that is, all the branches are straight with no taper, tangled ugly mess. The chair of the body corp has tried to poison it several times but it lives on. Planted in between big boulders so no chance of digging.

[Beano]

This thing is thriving now! The soil level got a bit low on the trunk and I saw a nice white horizontal root coming off the trunk! It's now covered up with dirt.

Of course now it's thriving I have green aphids on the underside of the leaves. I've started by putting some ant sand on the soil as I've heard aphids are where ants are, though all ivereally seen around it as been fungus gnats, and not many. Is garlic spray only for black aphids? Does white oil work on them?

[Newbie.mia]

Well my can of white oils says it works for aphids. I haven't seen any at my place so it either works or my area just isn't prone to them Mia

[Jason]

White oil will work, but it won't kill off any eggs or anything like that... but I'm not sure where/when/how aphids lay there eggs, so you might be alright.

There are a few different recipes handy for garlic/chilli spray on google that are worth a look too, I've heard that can be quite effective

Or just do a search under 'aphids' on this site, as there are a few tips in different threads

[Beano]

I looked from my window at the parent tree where I took my cutting this morning and thought it was flowering. I got all excited because they were pale purple, which I love. Anyway, I just went for a closer look and turns out its just powdery mildew. Quite a thick coating, can't even see the green of the leaves anymore. Its just the terminal leaves that seem to be affected. Hopefully it'll stay off my cuttings.