Here is another picture of it

mxbarbie, if you have three weeks of spring weather before planting, that should be long enough for the soil organisms to incorporate the chicken manure, I would think. But maybe you don't, in PNW BC? Here it sometimes goes from winter straight into summer; planting early greens like spinach into chicken-manured soil might not be a good thing then, we'll see... It's nice to see somebody else admit to spoiling their hens. Every week or so when it's been very cold I've put a pot of quick oats on the wood stove, added a handful of flax seed (=> omega 3 eggs!) and a bit of bacon fat maybe, and given them that. It is amusing to see them wipe their beaks afterwards. I attribute the hens' productivity through darkest winter to this diet, but their age and the amount of light in the coop are other factors. (Look at the rash of question marks and exclamation points on this forum lately! Punctuation: use it or lose it, I always say.) Patrick, about the lady in Halifax, she just went ahead and kept chickens. The controversy flared up when a neighbour found out and complained to the authorities - he was afraid the chicken feed would attract rats. That lady effectively started a very necessary public debate about urban gardening, food security, etc. Smart chick! The city stuck to its guns re: livestock, ordering her to get rid of them - they've gone to an urban farm/museum - but delayed the actual date by two months to allow for debate. Research is being carried out, a decision will be made next summer. Are Kathleen and Cecelia bi-polar is a very interesting question ann, or annp or annpat (not sure what to call you any more). I don't think so. They're a year older than Gladys and Trex. Kathleen was mean and dominant toward them until Cecelia put her in her place. Typical behaviour. When we go into the coop, though, something inside Gladys winds up - she struggles to resist it - then gives in, comes flying at us and gives us a sharp peck on the sleeve, hard enough to pull a thread from a wool winter jacket. Maybe she thinks we're food? Maybe we are? But we can also pick her up and hold her for minutes on end. Does this sound bi-polar? And is grabbing somebody by the feet and carrying them around upside down a recommended treatment for bi-polarism, as I've seen suggested for chickens who behave like Gladys? I don't expect answers to all these questions.

Mine has produced a great caudex. It will take temp. down to 20F but I have mine in the ground and two in the green house, the ones in the green house did not do as well. You gave me the courage to cut mine back now. My oldest ones produce seeds. Thanks, Norma

carol Here is an old and bad pic of a phal flowering for the first time on the Cassia roxburghii tree Note how small and few in numbers , pathetic leaves ?? This particular plant was always grown in a pot in the shadehouse where it always double spiked often with 3 with a minimum of a dozen flowers at least 4 inches across !! This was the first flowering on the tree skipped the first year have grown this particular plant for well over 20 years . It is flowering again has 3 this year way below standard but it is right on schedule, long ago lost the tag on the variety but it's a hybrid . Note the orientation of the leaves and the lack of a cup where they join?? Has always only kept two leaves but in a pot were pointed up forming a cup. about 3 times larger. It is exposed to too low temps,not enough water and when the tree goes deciduous in Jan way too much light lol The interesting part at least to me ,is that the roots are well over 6 feet from the plant. At first they grew in both directions but over the last year are growing down ,upwards have been aborted . Two have reached the ground and I can't wait to see what they do next lol In keeping with the subject of this post note that the leaves are growing down and no chance of collecting water with the reduced cup but is certainly not upside down ?? Might mention that a pink on the limb to the right{out of the pic) is spiking this year for the first time . Looks way below par so far . gary