Re: [CH] Trying peony hoops this year
Jonathan Smillie (jonathan.smillie@gmail.com)
Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:20:54 -0400
James Nelson wrote:
> 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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>
We have used the green tomato ladders from Gardener's Supply for our
indeterminate tomato plants for several years. They are much sturdier
than the light metal ones you get at most home-improvement or general
merchandise stores and will stand up well to heavy fruit growth.
Usual disclaimers, etc.