Fw: SPU:culture


> Hi
>
> I grow about 50 different spurias. From what I've seen about the only
thing
> that will kill them is heavy summer humidity or wet-moist mulch. I know
they
> grow and flower well in California, and here in Aust. I've just exported
> some to Moscow and the person grew some there.  There is some debate here
as
> to how much summer moisture they need. We have some which get water about
> once a week during very dry summers and some which get very little
moisture.
> Both grow and bloom but they seem to better with some water and
fertilizing
> esp in very dry climates.
> Check out our web site below.
>
> Colleen Modra
> Adelaide Hills
> South Australia  Zone 8/9
>
> colleen@impressiveirises.com.au
> www.impressiveirises.com.au
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Dickow" <dickow@uidaho.edu>
> To: <iris-photos@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 6:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [iris-photos] SPU:culture
>
>
> > My spuria do very well here in USDA zone 5 in north Idaho. We have a
> fairly
> > moist spring season followed by a hotter dry summer. Many people let
them
> go
> > totally dry at that time, but mine are mixed in with my perennials so I
> just
> > treat them like everthing else. This way, they tend not to brown off in
> > summer, and this is fine by me. It has little effect on their
performance.
> > Spurias can go down to zone 4, and maybe even 3. They are very hardy. I
> > would say that the hybrids are not finicky at all, though Iris
orientalis
> > (the old white spuria also aliased as ochroleuca) is particularly
> unkillable
> > under any treatment. Very few people have discovered spurias in our
town,
> > though I notice the old white orientalis is poking up in odd spots in
many
> > yards. People don't know what they are, and sometimes report never
having
> > planted them. They were probably planted by some former property owner
> back
> > in the 1930's!! Spurias can go virtually forever with no division.
> >
> > I've read that spurias do not fair well in humid eastern states, and
> > Massachusetts
> > has been mentioned as an example. (Oh well, I can't grow Louisianas here
> > at all) The spurias are popular in the midwest, the southwest, and in
> > California, where they do quite well. They do very very well for me up
> here
> > too.
> >
> > Soil here is volcanic clay-based 'loess' whatever that is. It is not too
> > heavy, but holds moisture very well (hence the no-irrigation pea,
lentil,
> > and wheat farming that is massively successful in our 'Palouse' region
of
> > the famous 'Inland Empire'.) If grown in sandy or lighter soil, they
> > recommend planting a little deeper, maybe 3 or more inches. I put mine
> about
> > 2 inches down, but I notice that after a time many roots are actually
just
> > under the surface anyway, so they seem to find their own level. The
> rhizomes
> > should be covered, however, even though they resemble tall bearded
> 'roots'.
> >
> > It is usually recommended that the roots and rhizomes not be allowed to
> get
> > dry during the lifting/moving/planting stage. Typically you will recieve
> an
> > order wrapped in wet newspaper or rafia. However, last year I got a
whole
> > order of dried and dormant roots. This year every single one of them
> > bloomed, but on plants only about 1/2 height. Typically spurias will not
> > bloom the first year after planting (though I get 1/10 to bloom.) I
think
> I
> > would rather get bigger richer plants the first year and forego the
> blooms,
> > however, instead of getting dried roots. The first blooms on these new
> 'dry'
> > stock plantings are a little smaller than usual too. (Wildwood Gardens
was
> > the source of these...very nice varieties, but a smaller selection than
> some
> > growers.)
> >
> > I feed mine a bit more heavily than my general garden stuff. The books
say
> > this can result in more blooms, and perhaps this is true. It does seem
to
> > promote taller, more robust growth.
> >
> > Large clumps of 3 feet or more across become quite impressive. You can
> chop
> > out new plant material from the edges of these, in the fall, or in the
> > spring. Spring shipment is virtually nonexistent, but you can move them
in
> > early spring when the growths are just beginning to grow again, and
still
> > get some bloom.
> >
> > Watch for virus. I suspect a clump or two of having some TMV. The leaves
> get
> > chlorotic streaks and yellow zones every year and show little or no
bloom.
> I
> > am digging these out and destroying them soon. I think they came this
way,
> > as I tend to treat my spurias as I do my orchids... cutting with tools
> > dipped in chlorox. However, in the garden, insects may spread viruses
too.
> >
> > Bob Dickow
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Patricia Wenham" <h.schinkep@verizon.net>
> >
> > > Your spuria iris are beautiful and look very healthy.  Could you tell
us
> > > more about their culture, please?  I ordered some this year and really
> > > need more information on them as I have only grown one spuria in the
> > > past.  It loved the sandy loam and arid climate with cold, windy
winters
> > > in USDA zone 5 where it grew on a bank which got very little water and
> > ><snip>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>



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