By the way, Californians needn't trouble their master gardeners for chill hours: they're all online here: http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/chillcalc/… > Well, here in Santa Clara County, we do have a record of chill hours and > routinely give out that information. Now as to whether the master gardener > answering the phone knows anything about the chill hours required of different > peonies, that is a different matter. I doubt it. > The chill hours are usually used to explain why certain healthy fruit trees > aren't bearing fruit as we live in a climate that is best served by trees > requiring less chill hours. Of course, the nurseries will sell you what you > want. Max I should emphasize that I did not intend to mock the nice ladies who had volunteered their time to help me, and many others. The point was more that peonies and knowledge thereof are pretty rare around here.