Re: CULT: Lined beds and Wool mulch

Christy, I am not familiar with the expression 'wool mulch'. Is this real wool or is it a plastic product called 'wool mulch'? This is quite an improvement for your babies. Would any other soil improvement product have done the same? Curious to know if the other products would contain something in them that these plants would not have responded to. Sounds very interesting.
 
Francesca
----- Original Message -----
From: Hensler
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 6:44 AM
Subject: [iris-photos] CULT: Lined beds and Wool mulch

A photo of one of the plastic lined beds with wool mulch. This bed was planted last year and the wool mulch added this season when things started heating up.
 
In our sandy soil the nutrients and water don't stick around long enough for a lot of plants to make much use of. JIs, LAs, and a lot of others barely hang on even pouring the water on them every day during the summer. The soil in these beds stays damp for up to a week between watering. In the rest of the garden, 3 days would be pushing it and in some of the unwatered areas of the garden, the soil is powder to over 12" deep.
 
The irises in the upper left corner are a couple of Siberians (yellowish) and beds of I. missouriensis that were moved this spring (brown tips). These are not mulched and the missouriensis would look this way regardless.
 
On the far right in the lined bed is I. brevicaulis. Prior to moving it was in one of the better areas with frequent watering but topped out at 5" tall and was threatening to croak. It's increased like wild and gotten considerably taller. I'm starting to think it may yet bloom for me. The small clump at the front corner is CASCADE CREST (JI).  Before being moved to this bed it was planted in a heavily composted bowl shaped bed in part shade that was watered daily during the summer. I managed to coax it to put on 4 blooms (2 nice, 2 not so nice) before it started stressing out. It topped out at around 18" tall as a 4 year old clump. It's making a good comeback as well.
 
As soon as I can get another 2' deep x 3 1/2' x 8' lined bed ready, half of these plants will be moved. Though most were quite small when planted, they've all increased nicely and could use the room.
 
Christy

Skip & Christy Hensler
THE ROCK GARDEN
Newport, WA
http://www.povn.com/rock/



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