Kostas

I think just working with what you have is the best. After a while,you learn its problems,what works and what doesnt with it and from then on you cultivate it successfully!

I am not sure if we have this pest in Greece but if we havent better it stays away i guess!

I do agree there is such risk unfortunately. But it can only be close to eliminated with measures such as the ones Australia has taken and not by anything less. We can only do our best to avoid bringing pests to our country by knowing the pest of the country of origin that would affect the plant we are bringing and checking for them when we get it,taking the neccessary measures to eliminate the pests.

Native species usually are part of a big chain of biotic and abiotic relantionships and so native habitats are generally more stable and can counteract some influences such as certain foreign pests. If the natives however are really prone to a certain pest,then the results are devastating such as those with Cycas micronesica in habitat,in Guam where it used to be the dominant species all over the island and now it is predicted to become extinct there by 2012....Many corrective actions have been tried with limited success and now another natural enemy of the offending insect will be introduced to the island to hopefully prevent the prediction from becoming reallity....

I agree it has its risks but i am putting the best of my effords minimizing them while still being able to have the plants i want.

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