Re: SIB and spring planting
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: SIB and spring planting
- From: B* S* <B*@hsc.edu>
- Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 07:08:22 -0700 (MST)
I've had very poor luck here in central VA establishing Siberians from
divisions with either spring or fall planting. My best results always come
from seed-raised plants. Even dividing and replanting within the garden,
either spring or fall, seems to create a major setback which either dooms
the new planting or keeps it from blooming for years. I provide plenty of
water and a richly organic soil, along with a good mulch that stays on year
'round.
Seed-grown plants thrive until it's time to divide the clumps. The one
exception to this seeming rule is a named variety, 'Silver Edge', which
grows and increases wildly and as a result is now all over the garden. In
my book you'll see a photo essay on dividing Siberian clumps by the
"pie-cut' method which features a big clump of this variety.
The paper this morning says we have already had one-third of our normal
rainfall for 1998 in just the first 6 weeks of the year! Big, severe
thunderstorms rumbled through our area last night; many trees down and
large hail was reported just north of us in Buckingham.
Greek anemones, primroses, hellebores, daffodils, crocuses, pulmonarias,
mahonias and Iris reticulata 'George' (a wonderful big deep violet) all in
bloom for Valentine's Day.
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@hsc.edu>
