RE: Re: CULT: iris companion plants

Hi,
Someone commented that the leaf spot was non existent when companion plants
had been planted with the Iris.  I found this to be true.  Last year I did
not plant any companion plants and I had leaf spot to the point where I cut
the Iris to the ground by the fourth of July.  They came back and although
the rebloomers did not rebloom the planting was much healthier.

I will be planting a whole lot of ground cover this coming year.
Char, New Berlin, WI Zone 4b

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-iris@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of Linda
Mann
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 7:33 AM
To: iris- talk
Subject: [iris] Re: CULT: iris companion plants

My experience has been similar to Donald's.  I think we share an
interest in cultivars that do well in spite of our different, but
difficult, climates/growing conditions.  I also want iris cultivars that
tolerate a lot of companions & mulch.

Nearly all of my irises are now in "corn" type rows now.  It was just
too difficult to keep them alive and blooming well in mixed beds.  But
there are a lot of self sowing Matricaria type daisies, some self-sowing
larkspurs and am experimenting with self sowing orange and yellow cosmos
as companion plants among the rows.  These plants can be very aggressive
with a lot of rain like we had this past year (over 60 inches total) but
battling weeds with nice flowers is sort of nice.

Depending on soil, climate, and care, many cultivars (may?) do better
without companions, but might not be affected too badly by companions.
Just have to try it and see.

There have been discussions about companion plants over the years.  If
the search engine for archived messages is working again, might be worth
browsing (see below for link).

Donald said:
<How a plant does here seems
                   dependent on its natural proclivities for growth and
the specific location,
                   but not whether the location has companion plants or
not.>

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
talk archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
photos archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>
online R&I <http://www.irisregister.com>

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