RE: [CH] Trying peony hoops this year
James Nelson (jmnelson@winfirst.com)
Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:05:50 -0700
Long time lurker; infrequent poster
We operate using raised planting beds in a couple of locations around the
yard that I roto-till annually in the spring (mostly cause that is when
things dry out enough to do so in this part of Nor-Cal). Have had the same
issue with the plants and branches falling over due to the fruit weight etc.
notwithstanding the stakes This year I took a page from long suffering
spouses plan for her heirloom tomatoes and started using her spare tomato
ladders and picked up a few shorter ones for the Habs as well. Found them
at
http://www.gardeners.com/Vegetable%20Supports/VegetableGardening_Supports,de
fault,sc.html (usual disclaimer of any financial interest). Not the least
expensive solution but also a bit more visually acceptable than the average
tomato cage and they are sturdy enough to support most any pod. For what
its worth
Jim the chilehead lawyer
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com
[mailto:owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com] On Behalf Of Alex Silbajoris
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:34 AM
To: chile heads
Subject: [CH] Trying peony hoops this year
Pods,
Over several years some of my plants, usually big bells and such, tend to
fall over in stormy weather when they are heavy with fruit. I have tried
staking them, which _sometimes_ works. This year I'm trying peony hoops for
support.
We have 30+ peonies here in the gardens, and as you know when they bloom and
the rain falls, the flowers go face-flat on the ground and that's it for
your blooming for the year. So we have metal hoops about 14" wide on four
legs. We put them over the plants and let them grow through, and once the
plants grow in the hoops are invisible but the blooms stay up in the rain.
Well the peonies are all done blooming and they've been deadheaded so they
don't need the hoops. So I've been putting hoops over my bells, salsa
peppers, marconi, jalapeno, etc. Right now the hoops are bigger than the
plants and it kind of looks like I'm trying to shield them from government
control signals. Or maybe an elaborate Faraday cage to distribute any
lightning hits.
And they are in fact calling for lightning, this has been a stormy start to
the summer. Today's newspaper has a front-page pic of interstate 70 under
water a few miles east of town.
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