Re: CULT:drought

Betty -- What kind of pre-emergent are you using? Some is perfectly safe for seedlings, and some is deadly. -- Griff 

Zone 7 along the tidal Potomac near Mount Vernon, in Virginia
----- Original Message ----- From: <Autmirislvr@aol.com> 
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 9:51 AM
Subject: [iris]CULT:drought



Several years ago, Dave Niswonger wrote an article for the Bulletin on dry
mulch. The general idea was to cultivate the top layer of soil as a form of moisture retention. Anyone have any thoughts on this process? Much of the country is experiencing drought after an early spring that devastated our bloom 
season.
I was reminded of this as I watched a neighboring farmer cultivate his corn crop. His corn has grown despite the weather problems. He and I received 
1.5 inches of rain on the 2nd that was not recorded in other parts of  the
region.
Many lifetimes ago I had more gardening energy. I watered the garden once a 
week and then cultivated the surface as soon as it dried.  It was  the
prettiest garden I've grown. It didn't hurt that I'd applied very aged manure from 
Dad's old barn.
I'm reminded of these things again this morning as I cultivate the seedling beds. Thank goodness for swivel hoes! Most of it was done while seated on 
my kneeler!    I will plant a little further apart next  year!  I had the
problems in 2004 with the one bed that might have been related to pre-emergent. I've decided to delay applying pre-emergent on the seedling beds until I'm 
sure the seedlings have developed good root  systems.


________________________________________________________
Betty W.  in South-central KY Zone 6 ---If you don't cross them, you can't
plant them!
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
Where the seeds are in the pots once  again!
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