Well, I finally had a chance to do a little research on the net. Somewhere I found a bullitin from the university of MN that said they may not blossom because of night time temps being under 60 degrees or over 75 degrees. Or possibly from moisture stress. It also said to mix one teaspoon of epsom salt in one quart of water and spray on. The magnesium is supposed to help with blossom set. I think I will give it a try. What is super phosphate?

I also have raised beds in Connecticut and have a couple of them (4 x 12 ft) covered with low tunnels, 4' high, made from 1/2" PVC pipe. I've used them for many years but only as season extenders. I was never able to get any crops to reliably grow during Jan and Feb because of the single plastic cover and no heat. I found that spinach is one of the hardiest crops to winter over if it is about 2 or 3 inches tall in November, but it didn't actually grow much until early March, then it took off like a rocket. I also used the tunnels to start seeds in early March of cold-tolerant vegetables. There was no provision for automatic venting on sunny days and that caused big temperature swings by the time April rolled around. Very heavy wet snows also caused structural problems since the PVC was only half inch. I had a coldframe for a few years with an automatic vent and that actually worked better because it was lower and had less heat loss, but it was not large enough. Last fall I build a large hoop house over two of the raised beds; it is 12' long and 10' wide and about 7' tall and is made from 1" PVC and 6-mil single-ply construction plastic. No heat. It has survived some heavy snow loads without any bending or distortion. I didn't have time to plant anything in it last fall because it wasn't finished until December but I planted lots of cold-tolerant seeds in early February. They were covered with Remay to get the extra protection that Coleman suggests. A min/max thermometer showed the temperature got into the low twenties at night. This week I expect the night temps to stay above freezing. The seeds I planted in early Feb are doing well but the ones I started indoors in late Feb and put in the hoophouse 2 weeks ago are doing just as well or better. I intend to remove the plastic in summer and replace it in November so I don't cook the plants. Temperature control is tough without fans and I really don't want to get involved with electric heat and ventilation (I might change my mind some day). I just built an automatic window this week and installed it yeasterday; it is 30" by 36" with a univent opener. I really needed it because the air temp might be freezing when I leave for work and get really sunny and warm by lunch time. I am working on the second one this week. This is a challenge with a PVC hoophouse because of the difficulties involved in making a window on a curved surface. This summer I am going to dig around the raised beds and put foam board vertically around them as far down as I can dig (about 18" in my stony soil). This should keep it warmer in the winter. I will also put low tunnels inside but I only need thin plastic covering because it won't have snow on it. But they will have to be well sealed especially at the edges of the hoophose where it is coldest. Maybe I'll give in and put a small electric heater in the low tunnel but I will use it to keep it from freezing rather than try to grow things like tomatoes. Then I will be ready to try real 4 season growing; I recommend the book because of the interesting ideas in it and will be looking at this forum for best crops to grow. I'll let you know how It turns out. Bob B.

Not hosta, but several others were run down, in a true hit run. Someone came into our driveway presumably to turn around too fast, hit the gravel then skidded over a daylily, clematis roots, catmint and several annuals then hit a picket fence. We assumed the speed/gravel part because they took off, and neither us nor a neighbor saw this. They picked up the fence and righted it using plants they hadn't run over to hold it up. I noticed the squished plants (the pansies were goners, everything else has come back to some extent, the daylily only has distorted leaves to show for it, the clem is fine, the catmint is still stunted). Couldn't for the life of me figure out how they missed the fence...until it tipped over on it's own revealing the broken posts. The VERY NEXT DAY an elderly gentleman came to get some lily of the valley, and backed out over the squished daylily and pansies again! That bed has been there since we bought the place, seems that was some seriously bad timing because it never happened before that.

George, I got the canoe to take up to Yosemite, to go canoeing there. Unfortunately, haven't had the time to get all the way up there. So I started practicing in the pool, and before you know it, it became a daily activity. I'm very good at turning now! Does anybody remember the old Hamm's Beer sign that had a moving picture of a red canoe going past a waterfall, and ending at a campsite with a campfire? It was scenic and beautiful and hypnotic - something most beer signs today aren't! May have affected me as a kid. Allison (toomanydogs), I like the way you think! The house on the right has a bigger yard, hmmm. Of course, there's still the off chance that Jandey will move next door! I hope she brings one moving truck with those Texas pralines! And thanks for coming to the meeting, it was a long drive for you, Allison. That was a blast though. Can't wait till the next! Thanks Mark! James (Freak4), you've been an inspiration, thank you so much. Thanks, Jen (jandey). Really appreciate it. So are you moving? Are you bringing the praline truck, too? That would be too much fun being neighbors. Roxanne, this year had been great, and meeting you and the rest of our Ventura County group has been a big part of it! Thank you so much. We have lots of great adventures ahead! Lonnie, there's nothing like the hammock and the sound of running water, and the smell of plumeria and jasmine and ginger. And dessert. Laura, you've been my inspiration ever since the days I knew nothing about plumeria (which was a surprisingly short time ago!). If I can inspire you in any small way, that means a lot. I may print and hang your posting in my office. I'm very moved, thanks as always! I felt like a ranger giving the guided tour at the meeting Sunday. I guess i've always wanted to do that, so it was a blast.