Re: CULT: drought stress

From: BobGWilson@aol.com

Hi Bill,  Most of my iris growing - for the past 30 years - has been in 
Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Livonia ,  all southern Michigan. Soil 
conditions have ranged from sandy/loam to hardpan clay,to sand, to large 
ground bark.. Adjusting  the water for the various soils, I have been able to 
grow what I consider to be large rhizomes in each of the soils- 4-5"long an 
+/- 2" in diameter on many of the TBs.(It was almost impossible to remove the 
iris from the hardpan clay without a pickax)!   I have about 250 varieties of 
bearded iris -  just started about 40 Lousianas and JI - as well as 60 
varieties of Daylilies,23 of Hostas, 25 dahlias,as well as many other 
flowers.  My iris are not grown in. rows, but rather as part of an overall 
garden. On the iris,I use Cygon II - about the only killer!- work compost 
into the soil around the iris, and feed them twice a year with bone meal - 
early spring and mid summer .  The gardens recieve considerably more water 
then they would if they were just iris, typically 45 minutes at least every 
third day. I have been living at my present location in Livonia for three 
summers.  When I moved here there were virtually no gardens, and many 
overgrown trees and shrubs.  I'll borrow a digital camera to show off soon.
  Regarding weather, we typically  have 180 days of frost free.  However, I 
have a picture of "CornHusker" rebloomer and myself putting up Christmas 
decorations Dec 6, 1994. I have also had the MDBs in bloom the first of 
March.  This year they were the first week of April, more typical.
  Enough of me.  Many thanks for your very knowledgable help.  Bob WIlson

--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------

Attention ONElist list owners.
http://www.onelist.com
We've just added a "NO ATTACHMENTS" option.  See homepage for details.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index