XPost: news.groups, misc.rural   
   From: dchadduck@comcast.net   
      
   Larry Caldwell wrote:   
   > In article ,   
   > dchadduck@comcast.net (Doug Chadduck) says...   
   >> So when's the best time to apply the bone meal? I've never had the best   
   >> of luck with Peonies, thought CA Bay Area is not the best local. I do   
   >> keep trying. Grew up with peonies with dozens of 6" blossoms on every   
   >> plant. Fragrance heavenly. Can still smell them 40 years later.   
   >   
   > Early spring (March), before new growth starts.  Peonies get a lot of   
   > benefit from the phosphate in the bone meal.  Also, make sure they are   
   > not planted too deep.  Peonies are like gladiolus, the corm needs to be   
   > very close to the surface.   
      
   Hmmm. I remember kind of the opposite on planting depth. Like maybe 4-5   
   inches on the peonies and a good 6 on the glads. Particularly on the   
   glads, if they're not deep they will end up tipping over. The roots are   
   very fine. Are you maybe thinking Bearded Iris? They don't like their   
   toes covered but grow a number of long solid roots that go almost   
   straight down so don't tip easily. Will try to remember next year about   
   the March, or so, bonemeal.   
   >   
   > You should be able to grow peonies nicely in the Bay Area.  They should   
   > flower sometime around mid-May.  Don't let them get water stressed until   
   > after bloom, then drop back on the water and let them work the roots a   
   > little.  During the summer, only water when the leaves show water   
   > stress, then give them a 12 hour slow irrigation set that will soak the   
   > soil deeply.   
   >   
   > It's rhubarb and strawberry time in Oregon right now.  I just made a   
   > batch of strawberry-rhubarb jam last Thursday after work.  I had to buy   
   > the strawberries, but I have a couple big rhubarb plants that are really   
   > pretty in the landscaping.  I cut about 20 lbs. of rhubarb, so I ended   
   > up spreading it around to my co-workers Friday.   
      
   OK, I gan get to GP, now where is your house? That jam sounds good.  vbg   
     We had our first Strawberry Rhubarb pie last weekend. Rhubarb from   
   MIL. mmmmmmmmmmgood.   
   Last summer I dug two chunks of rhubard off my grandfather's homestead   
   land in ND. Three huge, a good 6 feet across (leaves),   
   hills?/mounds?/gaggles? It's all cattle  pasture now, has been for 20   
   years or more. Livestock won't touch them. Apparently no bugs like them   
   either. Healthy and lush just growing wild. The rhubarb is at least 50   
   years old that we know. Wet and bagged the two chunks, tossed them in my   
   suitcase, and stuck them in the ground here when I got home. Moved them   
   to permanent location two months ago. They're coming on strong and it   
   won't be to many weeks before we'll have our first batch of North Dakota   
   heritage rhubard. Also cut a chunk off MIL's and put it in a week ago.   
      
   Next batch I'm getting me just a big bowl of cooked rhubard. The rest   
   can go in the pie. Will have to think about that jam though. Sounds great.   
      
   Good stuff.   
      
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