Re: iris farmers
- To: i*@Rt66.com
- Subject: Re: iris farmers
- From: D* W* <w*@pionet.net>
- Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 14:31:03 -0600
>linda mann e tenn usa writes:
>last year i drove around looking at as many iris 'gardens' as i could find.
> there is no such thing - the successful iris growers all grow them in rows
>like tobacco plants or field corn. so i figure this means they respond well
>to deep regular cultivation and have planted my new cultivars in rows where i
>can use the farm tractor to cultivate them. it also gave me the bright idea
>to take a spade fork to each of my established 'garden' clumps and dig under
>it as if i were going to dig it up - just lifted it out of the ground and set
>it right back down. the clumps i treated that way (some varieties actually
>do make clumps for me) do look better than the ones i left alone. maybe this
>is one of the bad effects of luxurious rainfall (>50 inches/yr) - it may
>settle the ground so much that aeration and root growth are a problem.
>
This sounds like our fall tillage trip,(spring work increases compaction)
on tight clay type soils the deep fracturing of the soil seems to help
loosen and better drain the soil. We don't get that much rain, but being in
the bottoms I need drainage. Luckily I am trying to grow iris on sandy loam
witch is moist, but drains well.
Rows and tractors make me think of 100's of acres! way cool!!
