RE: More about Jennifer Rebecca

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If I remember correctly, weather records have been kept here for 139 years.  Until this summer, we've never gone without hitting the 90 degree mark before.  In addition, our natural overhead watering system worked with remarkable regularity this summer.  I did one good soak of all the rebloomers about the 3rd week of August.

 

When I plant, I take off the first 4-6 inches of soil & set it aside, then dig deep and wide and mix in about 20% composted horse manure and a handful of 6-24-24 fertilizer.  I sprinkle a little triple phosphate on top of that, then use the topsoil I took off at the start to plant the iris.

 

I fertilize about the first week of April and July sprinkling the same 6-24-24 (from the Farm Bureau Co-op) around each clump, rebloomer or not.

 

Patrick - Your photo of JR looks suspiciously like my Foxy Lady.  How sure are you?

 

You might feel a little better looking at this photo, taken today, of the same stalk ( the first photo was taken 5 days ago). Yes, this is a single stalk.  Note I only have 5 rhyzomes and the one closest to the mortar in the little brick wall is the one blooming.  Make of that what you will.  The little nylon net bags are to keep the spotted potato beetles and Japanese beetles from stealing my pollen bank deposits.  IMHO, JR's main faults are spindly stalks and slow increase, but I think it's a decent jumping-off point for my Zone 5 pink rebloomer crusade.

 

Mary Lou, near Indianapolis, Z5