Re:CULT: Need some help

Hello Linda!  Thank you for the words of encouragement - I garden in
Bluford, Il, just 10 miles east of Mt. Vernon - straight up I57.  The soil
is heavy clay - and as I bring in top soil and add amendments, I hope to
make it better in time.  The rye grass idea came from an Organic Garding
Mag - I thought I remembered they created nitrogen - but your comments make
me wish now I had not passed that mag on to others so quickly.

At any rate, it has held the Iris in and the dirt up - I will pull
it from around the rhyzomes but leave it in the walk-ways between plants.

Thank you again!
Sharon

At 04:39 AM 3/15/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Sharon The Hiltibidals posted about miserable growing conditions.
>
>I enjoyed your post Sharon - you sound as determined to grow irises in
>impossible conditions as I am and is definitely an 'opportunity' to
>experiment with techniques that others wouldn't try.  The idea of using
>pernnial ryegrass is a new one to me.  You forgot to use a signature
>that contains your location, so I will answer you as if you were in a
>similar climate to my own.
>
>> Someone posted recently that new iris rhyzomes had extended up (more
>> shallow) from the mother rhyzome.  Do new iris always seek the higher
>> ground and sun that will spur their growth and bloom?  
>
>Some will tell you yes, but my experience and that of others on the list
>has been that it depends on the cultivar, soil, and climate.  They do
>tend to seek the depth that works best for them.  So if they are too
>deep, the increases will be higher, or tunnel lower if too exposed. 
>Last year, I started burying all my rhizomes with my gravelly loam
>soil.  A few rotted, a few thrived, most seemed about the same.  The
>increases seem to start out underground, but as the rhizomes get bigger,
>the backs of many of them are exposed.  There has also been some
>discussion on the list about covering rhizomes with coarse sand to help
>combat heaving.
>
>> The rye has kept  weeds out, but some have suggested their nitrogen-making
>> roots might be too much for iris - would promote rot.  
>
>Rye doesn't make nitrogen - only legumes (bean/clover/alfalfa family)
>and a few others do that.  What might promote rot is lush growth of the
>rye not allowing good air circulation.  However, in your situation, the
>rye may help dry the soil out some because of its water use.  
>
>> I think if the mother rhyzome is too deep to bloom but will still make
>> increase, I could do without the blooms to hold them down while increse
>> gets  established.   Should I remove rye at all?  Just around the rhyzomes,
>> or completely from the bed?  When?  After the rainy season
>> and before bloom season?  Would appreciate any suggestions.  
>
>In most conditions, I would expect the dense rye to outcompete the
>irises for nutrients, water, and sun, which would slow the iris growth,
>though not killing them, but it's hard to say what will happen.  If you
>aren't concerned about bloom the first year (a shame), just keeping the
>rye thinned out should be enough.  Mowed grass around your iris planting
>is no problem, but most varieties of irises (but not all!) won't thrive
>and bloom if they are crowded by any kind of vegetation, including
>themselves.  I'd say start getting the grass at least 6 inches (a foot
>would be better) away from the rhizomes whenever you can.
>
>Let us know how this experiment turns out.
>
>Linda Mann east Tennessee USA
>with everything uncovered again, not anticipating 22oF last night.  It
>was over 60o yesterday.  This is why I don't usually bother - all that
>work and and the vagaries of weather here sneak past anyway.  Most
>should be ok (poor Mariposa Skies will be unhappy, but will grow again -
>sorry Rick).
>
>
>
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