Re: Siberian

Ian,
>  "North central WA state where siberian iris will not
> grow."
> 
> I am facinated to learn why?  

Well, I am not sure why they will not grow here.  I used to grow them on 
the coast with no problems but in the 22 years I have lived here I have 
been unable to keep one more than one year and only a few of those 
bloomed.  I decided to stop spending money on them and buy the TB's 
which grow very well as do the Arilbreds. 

I live only a few miles from where there was a salt mine and the little 
lake supports brine shrimp.  I live only yards from a limestone type 
bluff and the wind is severe in summer as it rushes down the valley 
which is at river level.  I had my soil tested when I moved here and 
about every other year for many years.  It tested over 7 then.  I have 
added compost, peat, sulphur, apples and anything else anyone could 
suggest to lower the ph but it is still nearly 7 now.  

Merle and Linda live about 50 miles from me and they raise and sell 
iris.  We met on the internet and they kindly said they would show me 
how to raise sibs here.  I will take them up on that and buy some sibs 
from them because they will already be aclimated to the area and will 
not have to overcome so many things.  

I think you will have pretty good luck with them in BC as that soil is 
quite different from mine.  You can also check with John Montgomery in 
Vernon, BC <monashee@bcgrizzly.com> because he has mentioned raising 
them and, I presume, selling them too.  You would be fairly close to his 
gardens and he sounds like a very knowledgeable and interesting person.

I am also unable to raise JI's here.  They took less than one season to 
crumple and die.  Linda wrote me suggesting using a childs wading pool 
to grow the moisture lovers.  I will try that.  I have a drilled well 
and my water has the same mineral content that the soil does so I would 
have to get water from another part of the county I suppose.  There is 
reasonably acid soil about 6 miles from me or less.

I hope some of you will be able to help me with these problems.  I am a 
Master Gardener and have access to the County Agent and all the programs 
at the Ag college but they couldn't help me and did not give me much 
encouragement when they reviewed my conditions here.  I think you Sib 
and JI growers have probably encountered and overcome many of these 
problems and could help me.  It would be greatly appreciated.

Patti <prw@televar.com>
USDA zone 5.

PS  I shall try to find a copy of THE RUSSIAN BEAR by John Sparks
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