Witch's Wand

Thanks to everybody discussing their problems with trying to grow Witch's Wand--I had ordered it for our club garden abd received a substitution of Witching--the co-chair twas most disappointed that we did not receive Witch's Wand--but I now have printed out some of the comments about it and will show her that maybe we are better off with Witching instead--anyone have problems with Witching?  

My % of bloom on new stock is fairly high (70-80%) if I order from growers in Oregon and California--but the second year I have the problem with a dying clump and 'bloom-out' and have finally decided that the bloom shoots were set on prior to the rhizomes being shipped, and the second year is what they did here--
So--I order now from growers in colder areas--mostly Dave Niswonger at Cape Iris Gardens in Missouri--and in the long run have better luck--at the three year time Dave's clumps are usually still alive and blooming, whereas the ones from hotter winter areas are usually dead and long gone.
During the Spuria meeting in Denver where there was a round-table discussion about growing Spurias I stated the same--I follow Dave's instruction and mulch them the first year, then don't worry about them after that--and so far even the Spurias are doing great!  Takes them till the fourth year usually to bloom, but then have 2-3 bloom stalks and the clump slowly increases--not too fast--which means that I do not have to dig them but about in the eigth year and divide the clump--
Sooo-- do not put so much emphasis on bloom the first year but rather on the clump surviving in your area--in the long run that is less expensive because you do not have to continually replace rhizomes.
Carryl in Western Montana-where it has settled to low 90's and 50's and no rain predicted for at least a week--
I grow about 60 TB's, 20 MTB's, 25 BB's, 50 IB's, 50 SDB's, 30 MDB's, 10 Spurias, 20 Siberians, 10 Arilbreds,and numerous seedlings--and my husband is chairman of our club garden which has over 200 TB's, 100 SDB and IB and Siberian and Spuria, and we just put in a Space-age section of 25, Arilbred section of 15, Historic section of 15, and have a complete 'Dyke's Row'-- anyone have some suggestions for companoin plants?  We have to have color through the summer as the club garden area is used for many activities-especially Weddings--so are planting Lillies and Day Lillies but twould appreciate any suggestions for preferable perinneals to put in with the Iris.

Thanks

Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index