Re: CULT: dry leaf tips

Thanks to Celia & to Barb Mann who advised that I NOT worry about 
watering my old iris varieties thru the summer, just the rebloomers. 
This fits with what I've done in the past but it's always nice to have 
my gardening habits confirmed!

As to *summertime* rainfall rates around the US, there's a map in the 
new Sunset Western Landscaping Book that graphically illustrates the 
differences. The wet side/dry side of the country splits just about down 
the line of the 100th meridian, which more-or-less bisects No. Dakota 
at the "top". Where I live in Colorado, we typically get 10" to 11" of 
moisture (some of it as snow) between May 1 & Oct 31. I know there are 
even drier places in the West during these same months, but I'm here 
to tell you that this piddlin' amount does not make for lush greeness.

Can't bear to waste well water so I, too, consider my brown-tipped iris 
to be a water-wise badge of honor.

Marte in the mtns	Zone 4/Sunset 1  Colorado, where the two rain   
showers yesterday & today didn't add up to enough to settle the dust but 
did freshen the air nicely!
-------------------
Barbara Mann wrote:
> 
> Marte was asking about dry leaf tips and whether she should be summer
> watering, and Celia answered:
> 
> "Marte, I vote for watering your rebloomers through the summer so they 
> don't go dormant but leaving the other plants to the whims of your    
> weather. Watering keeps the old boys awake, which based upon my       
> experience won't hurt them, but it won't improve their performance,   
> either, so why do it? Those older plants increase like rabbits whether 
> they lie dormant in summer or not."
> 
> I concur 100%, and here in Santa Fe we get--what?--13 inches a year,  
> maybe? And most of that is snow in the winter.  We do get             
> thunderstorms in the summer, but the rain doesn't usually amount to   
> much.  I am certain that with the increasing number of people moving  
> into this area and the majority of them wanting bluegrass lawns, we   
> are going to be OUT of water in the near future, so I try to be very  
> careful with the stuff.  I water just enough to keep what's in my     
> garden alive through the worst of the dry heat; brown tips on my      
> iris leaves are a badge of honor.

> Barb, in Santa Fe, where I am in the throes of designing a water-wise 
> but colorful yard for my first client--hope it works!
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