Re: ULT Pineappling

Pineappling of the leaves of plants occurs when the area between the veins of the leaf grows faster than the veins, giving a 'ripple' or' zig-zag up and down' appearance to the leaf.  This occurs in many plants--most often seen easily on Iris and Dahlias---the reason that the area grows faster then the veins is that it is soft and fleshy--not rigid like the veins; the cause is varied---usually from the temperature suddenly going up andgrowth of the leaf is accelerated, or the plant was in a slower growing area--cooler area--then suddenly moved to a warmer area and zoom!!! It grows quickly--but the veins do not--
If we have a sudden temperature change--like this summer--long, cool and wetter than usual Spring, then suddenly to 90 F everyday and warm nights, many of the Iris and Dahlia leaves were pineappled---but after the plants got used to the warmer climate--then pineappling appeared less frequently.  
If you  grow other types of large-leafed with strong veins plants--look for pineappling on their leaves--especially Dahlias--
How to cure it--what to do about it???  If you can change the weather--great!!! But the usual cure is to make sure the plants have adequate water, do not over-fertilize them, and they will grow out of it.  It is nice to have some problem which can be cured by water and time, rather than spraying for it.
Re: CULT oil-sprays---every year my husband sprays all of our

fruit trees with 'Dormant Spray'--it is light oil based, and is used to kill any eggs which overwintered on the tree.  He grew up on a commercial Peach rance, and that is where he learned about it--it is one of the few sprays or chemicals which  we use on trees and plants--the other being Diazonin--to control root-tip maggots in our onions and beets and Daffodils--- It is great to not use synthetic/chemical sprays/treatments, but sometimes there are some which are better to be used than to try to find a substitute and possibly harm some other plant or  cause such an imbalance in bugs etc that there are dire consequences--
We have Nematodes here--and I was told by an old-timer that ashes from the stove or fireplace, when put into the ground where the little buggers are, will keep them away from your plant roots--they do not like the consistency of the ashes--rough, sharp corners, which cause the nematodes to be scratched and 'bleed to death'--I tried it on the carrot patch this year, and it works!!!!!  So--find some ashes and work them into the ground around the rhizomes, and that might help--
Carryl in western Montana Zone 3/4  where it is now cold and foggy--cooler than usual but no rain--the storms keep missing us--so in late October I am watering the garden!!!

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