Zone 3 iris, no problem
- Subject: Zone 3 iris, no problem
- From: E* G*
- Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 23:38:19 -0500
From: Ellen Gallagher <e_galla@moose.ncia.net>
>Karen writes...
>
>Here is the challenge. I'm zone 3, the dry cold part of Montana...I
>believe in >growing something that will do well in this area and not have
>to be given >special care....List only two iris...
Karen, any two Siberians, of course. :)
Mike Lowe added:
>If Ellen lists two beardeds, pay CLOSE attention..
Ok, I'll bite.
Best performing modern TBs that I grow:
CLARENCE
CANTINA
These TBs have to be staked because of strong winds here. ALL the
TBs (I have very few since I don't favor them) have to be staked
including the few historics that are tetraploid and heavier than the
diploid cultivars.
I would try Medians of any class and IBs do exceptionally well
in my Zone 3...acidic soil, low pH and lots of rain. IBs are
planted in raised and normal beds with the same results.
Perry Dyer said:
>My very favorite iris, ever, is Silverado. And for me, the most perfect,
>ever. But not sure how it would do in such a cold climate.
As Lloyd Zurbrigg said on this list over a year or two ago, cold
by itself is NOT the enemy of irises. The freeze-thaw cycles
do the damage. A good, reliable snow cover is the key for Zone 3.
My plants are still snoozing under their white blankets and we
are still frozen for many a moon which means that the growing
season is very abbreviated. I would recommend that you purchase
two or three rhizomes of any TB cultivar so the increase and bloom
looks like you are in balmy Zone 5 in a couple of years. Otherwise
you might have scanty TB bloom and very slow increase.
SILVERADO is a favorite in New England, BTW. I prefer the medians
which don't have to be staked but I did stake a couple of them
last year.......COLORADO AMBROSIA (BB) had to be staked and some
others. I did have to stake a couple of historics which pained
me since I dislike the sight of staked plants but I dislike a
garden full of fallen plants more than the stakes themselves.
Cheers,
Ellen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ellen Gallagher / e_galla@moose.ncia.net
Northern New Hampshire, USA / Zone 3
Berlin, NH in 'The Great North Woods'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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