RE: chipmunks,mulch...

	Phyllis S. wrote=8A

>I have found that covering the rhizomes with 1/2 to 1 inch of soil
>keeps the chipmunks and squirrels from nipping a bite from the top
>of the rhizome as they zip past. They don't seem to want to eat them,
>just aggravate people, bit it leaves a wound which can develop soft
>rot.

	I don't cover my bearded rhizomes until late Sept. when it gets
	really seriously nipping here. For some reason, nothing wants to
	eat them except for one strange yellow fuzzy caterpillar on one
	SDB, 'Jeweler's Art', the other day. I interrupted his lunch and
	had to pry him off....he had gone around to eight fans and nibbled
	at the top third and left strings hanging down. It wasn't like our
	usual caterpillar but I felt I had to destroy it. I am the one who
	takes slugs and puts them in a shovel and walks into the woods and
	lets them go to live out their slimy lives.

>As for	mulch, it is best to do so for the winter to prevent frost
>heaving. (All our southern listers don't have this problem) I use
>wood chips or shavings from 4 to 6 inches deep, then pull them into
>the paths in the late spring.

	I also mulch bearded irises with a loose covering of pine needles
	after the first hard frost and the mulch stays on until the end of
	April and the dirt is not taken away from the rhizomes until May..
	no ill effects and they are thriving....well, they are increasing
	and they had good bloom.

	Cheers,

	Ellen G.










~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ellen Gallagher	\ e_galla@moose.ncia.net \ Lancaster, New Hampshire,USA
  USDA Zone 3a \ Northern White Mountains\ AIS Region 1 {New England}





=09
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