Re: Cult:marking and mapping (my way)

First off, I now know that I am not to be considered a 'serious'
iris gardener after reading Patti's post and also Charlotte's.
:-) This is Ellen's way but I do it for enjoyment not to give me
a headache. Plenty of other things in my life vie for that
honor.

When I receive an order, I unpack the box and examine the
rhizomes. *Hey, this is important.* Recently, I was unpacking
the order from Iris Colorado that was packaged in newspaper and
I couldn't find the 2003 intro I had ordered. ($40.00) This is
always done in my kitchen and I had thrown the newspapers on the
floor as I compared the rhizomes to the packing slip, etc. As I
was putting the newspapers in the trash, one felt heavy and  two
rhizomes fell out..including the '03 intro. Unpack carefully.
:-)

Then I make the markers after I find the materials...sometimes
they are in the garage and sometimes one of the dogs has buried
them or is playing with them,etc. Or one of the neighbor kids
has 'hidden' them for fun (the kids get this by osmosis by being
around me). 

Now the big drying out and digging part: I have the beardless
roots soaking usually on the side porch where everyone can and
will step in the buckets (mainly family called Husband). I
always dry the bearded out on those pesky newspapers...sometimes
too long. I prefer a week but when it is raining (which is all
the time), they sleep on the porch until the mud can be
shoveled. 

Then I plant by color...no rows...just garden planting. I do
have a map of sorts: INTROSPECTION (TB) - upper south lawn
garden, etc. But I usually get confused as to where south
is...so usually I stick in something like: near the deep purple
liliacs. If I lose the markers, I have to wait until the darn
thing blooms to try to i.d. it. 

*This is why I don't sell irises...too risky when you have
hundreds and always have about 20 noids. I do have all the
Siberians i.d. and correctly marked - they are the most
important to me. 

If you want to grow flowers for fun and enjoy the summer, do it
any way you want to. It is your garden to make. 

If you want to seriously hybridize or sell, this is already
deleted. ;-)

Ellen in the NH mountains where it is pouring down RAIN.....

"The first state absentee voting law was enacted in 1896 in
Vermont."

(from Wicked Cool Stuff about Vermont)

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