spring, Stockton cat.
- Subject: spring, Stockton cat.
- From: L* P* <p*@peak.org>
- Date: Sun, 10 Mar 96 14:55:26 MST
Hello Gang:
I got a Stockton Catalogue a few days ago and was up into the wee hours
"obsessing" over the pictures and descriptions. We can always become
vegetarians, buy our clothes at the second hand store, drive the old beater
for a few more years, etc.etc. Actually the prices are reasonable- its just
that one wants SO MANY...
I wonder how many people get into growing to "support their habit"?
If I brag about our long spring here in Western Oregon and our copious
winter bloom, it is only fair to remember that WEEDS and SLUGS also GROW
here 12 months of the year. The slugs chew on both foliage and flower of
many of my Iris. One has to be especially careful to protect emerging shoots
from them. Some types are more vulnerable, especially I. japonica,I.
cristata, I. verna and the winter-blooming and alpine house species. The
beer traps have never seemed to work-they just seem to produce more slugs.
Gross as it is, hand-picking seems to work best. I cover my hand with a
plastic food bag such as a bread bag and gather as many as I can and discard
them in the garbage.
Deadline and other liquid bait is also effective. I put the stuff around and
under the rocks. Speaking of rocks, I have found that the grit mulch used in
rock gardens is a great weed control and benefit to Iris. This year I am
even going to try it on my TB's, where weed control is such a problem.
Went to a garden show a couple of weeks ago and saw a cute button: it said,
"Practice Plant Parenthood"
Cheers, Louise
Louise H. Parsons <parsont@peak.org>
1915 SE Stone St.
Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
USDA zone 7 (at least!) Emerald NARGS, transplanted Oregrowian
