Re: TB: summer bloom/weeding
- To: iris-talk@onelist.com
- Subject: Re: [iris-talk] TB: summer bloom/weeding
- From: J* C*
- Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:02:54 PST
From: "Jan Clark" <janclarx@hotmail.com>
Dianne writes:>In the iris
>gardens locally I can report stems on AFFLUENCE, BLACKWARE, NAVY WAVES,
>HOSTESS ROYALE FEEDBACK, EARL OF ESSEX, BEVERLEY SILLS, AUSSIE CHALLENGE,
>CHATTER, STITCHED BEAUTY, BLUE CHIP PINK, TEMPTONE and CELEBRATION SONG.
How often do you water Dianne? I water my beds for about an hour (soaker
hose) once a week, and otherwise, let them go fairly dry (no mulch).
Everything seems to be enjoying these conditions, but there is no sign of
bloom. I expect a few to bloom in Autumn.
This is the time of year when it is easy to stay inside out of the heat, and
forget the needs of the garden, but I have been spending 2 hours every
morning weeding, dragging hoses, planting, cultivating, etc.
Weeding the gravel paths is the worst job, and to do this, I put the hose on
for an hour or so, the evening before, so that the path is well wetted. I
use a tool that looks a bit like a pick, but smaller with a short handle
(like a miners pick). All the weeds go on the compost, and I solarise my
compost heaps.
I hand weed everything, including blackberries, scotch thistle and gorse,
which are piled up to be burnt, along with anything else likely to cause
problems if thrown on the compost. If the soil is damp, the roots of tough
weeds will come out more easily. If things get really desperate, it's time
to dig up the plants, pile on some thick newpaper, compost and mulch,
solarise the lot, let it rot down and start again.
My garden covers an area of around 1/2 acre at present (expanding) and I
find that persistence is the best means of weed control. It also keeps me
well in touch with all my plants, as I check labels, pull off dead leaves,
keep an eye on ripening seed pods, look for bloom stalks, etc., as I go
round the beds. After a few seasons of this treatment, most beds grow very
few weeds, so the job gets easier.
I must say, I don't have a young family, or a 40 hour a week job, so it is
easier to find the time.
It would be interesting to compare the cost of using chemicals (time spent,
equipment, plant loss etc), to the cost of hiring casual labour to weed and
cultivate.
Just my two penneth, on an area that has been much debated in the past,
Cheers, Jan Clark, with dirt under her nails.
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