Fw: Topsoil Cultivation (REPOST)

This is a reposting.  I have not seen the original come through yet.


----- Original Message -----
From: Patrick Orr
To: iris talk
Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 11:44 PM
Subject: CULT: Topsoil Cultivation


I am curious how many of you iris gardeners (not commercial gardens) out there
hand-cultivate the topsoil of their gardens.

Although irises are supposed to be relatively maintenance free, and many
people do not believe they should have to fuss over their iris garden,
I have found that a little fuss can make the difference between whether the
iris plants live or THRIVE.

For the last few years I have been cultivating the topsoil of the iris garden
and have had great results.

I have noticed a lot of gardeners will go to great length to amend their iris
garden soil prior to planting.  In the fall they will till in all kinds
of stuff with the hopes their amendments will pay off in the spring.  But that
is usually the end of their soil-toil.

During the first watering or rain in the garden, the organic matter that is on
top of the soil floats away to a low spot in the garden where the water
lingers most.  When the water drains away it rests on top of the soil and
dries out . Then the salts in the soil come to the surface and are
deposited there when the water evaporates from the soil.  Minerals in the
water are deposited on top of the soil as well.  Then, a hard crust forms
on top of the soil. At this point water doesn't soak in well; it runs away.
After a while, weeds begin to grow, removing nutrients from the soil.

This has always bothered me.  So I began cultivating the topsoil at least once
a month.  I take a claw tool that is on a 5 foot pole and begin scratching at
the surface of the soil about 6 inches away from the iris clumps.  I get the
surface crust broken up and turned over to about
an inch or two deep. I don't hit any iris roots that I am aware of, for they
seem to be deeper.  In any case, it hasn't appeared to effect the irises
badly.

Of course, you must have room around and between your iris clumps in order to
do this. Back when I planted my rhizomes a lot closer, I had
to get in there with a hand-held claw down on my hands and knees.  Boy what a
pain that was.you also get poked in the face with the end
 of the iris leaves when trying to reach around the clump.  I prefer now to
leave plenty of room around the irises and use a claw on the end
of a long pole (you can buy these at any garden shop - a hoe will work too).

Once the topsoil is cultivated, the water no longer runs off but soaks in.
The soil is aerated, the organic matter on top of the soil is tilled in and
begins to break down into beneficial humus. Weeds are dug up, if there are
any, and I usually put them into the composter rather than leave
them in the garden. Any moss growing at the time will die when tilled in and
that adds more organic matter to the topsoil.  The soil remains light
and fluffy and the spreading rhizomes find less resistance.

Once the topsoil is cultivated, and the surface is a mess of dirt clods, I
have found this to be an excellent time to apply some more amendments in small
doses.  I may add some granular fertilizers, or perhaps some compost.  I have
added just straight mulch or peat moss at times, and a variety
 of other things to enrich the topsoil with nutrients and or to create better
tilth. I just lightly sprinkle them on top of the soil. A quick scratching
afterwards mixes this in a little better, but is not necessary.  A lot of the
fertilizer granules and other amendments go between or under the dirt
clods and stay under them when the garden is watered.  Watering afterwards is
wonderful.  The water does not run off but stays and soaks in.

I really believe the irises love it.  The topsoil becomes improved over time,
builds up humus, and I have hardly had any ROT!

Patrick Orr
Phoenix, Arizona  Zone 9
USA

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