Companions, Manure, Rot, Wasting, Water loving Iris
- Subject: Companions, Manure, Rot, Wasting, Water loving Iris
- From: "* W* G* <d*@lightspeed.net>
- Date: Sun, 18 Feb 96 08:08:08 MST
> all if there is a weed (especially grass) anywhere around. and
> some wont bloom if they crowd themselves (need dividing).
What makes a good companion for TBIris? Does the Iris think my
daylilies, bulbs, and annuals are just weeds? Just how close in inches is
"anywhere around"?
> for me. of course, the hot dry weather in mid may is not good for
> them either.(why do i do this???)
Does this hold true even with irrigation? What does it mean "not good
for them"? Wouldn't dry weather clobber the rot?
> resistant ones!) where i mulched between the rows with fresh horse
> manure and shavings. (i bet that gets comment! - i do NOT recommend
> manure of any kind for tbs.) and generally, i don't get much bloom
> at all without fall fertilizing with 6-12-12, spring with bone meal.
Is there a problem with manure, other than weed seeds specific to
TBs? Is it only fresh manure that causes the problem? I may have a
real problem as I use manures (spent mushroom compost, dairy manure,
horse manure, and chicken manure mixed with wood shavings) as my main
source to add organic material. I just created three new beds and dug
in lots of manure. These new beds are for Iris and daylilies I've
ordered.
What is wasting disease? Is it actually a disease or a climatic
condition the iris doesn't like?
I keep geese and find they breed better when they can swim. So I have
a four hundred gallon galvanized tank mostly buried. They spill a lot
of water which flows out of their pen. I have a deep sand layer about
thirty inches under the topsoil. I have dug out and made all sand the
area where the geese overflow collects. It is always moist even in
the summer. If I now added organic matter to this area would water
loving iris grow here? During the summer we have many days with
triple digit temperatures and single digit humidity. Would the water
lovers handle that if their feet were constantly moist?
Dennis W. Greer
dwgreer@bak2.lightspeed.net
Bakersfield, California
At the south end of California's great central valley.
USDA Zone 8/9
