Re: Spuria

I grow Spuria very successfully here in Southern Ontario. This is the first year they have gone dormant in the summer (out of about 20 years) but we did have record high temperatures and record low rainfall. Most plants grow well but there are a few cultivrs that ae very iffy and sulk or fade away. I have sent Spuria to the very cold growing areas of Canada, like Winnapeg, Saskatoon. Edmonton and Calgay, to mention a few. They all have had success with the Spuria.  I ship in September  and have found by painfull experience that July planted plants don't make it through the first winter.  Thje plants put up new growth when moved and there is too much greeery on the July planted rhizomes and the frost damage kills the plants, whereas September planted plants are able to respond to the cold weather and protect themselves. The rhizomes are alwasy palnted deeply, with about 3" of soil over tops of rhizomes.

Chuck Chapman

Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2007 13:56:58 -0800 (PST)
From: Robt R Pries <rpries@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [iris] spurias

I would like to point out that spurias can be grown
almsot anywhere in the USA from Canada to Mexico. They
are very tolerant. Usually if they have been
transplanted with the proper care one could expect
bloom the first year and every year thereafter. Unlike
bearded Irises they do not like to be divided. A
healthy clump can stay in place 50 years. I do not
want to suggest there is no skill involved. I have
have clumps that would never bloom and sulked for
years because they did not like the location. Since
they tolerant even salty soils in the desert I am not
sure what the problem is with some locations. Usually
a good garden loam makes them quite happy. In nature
the parent species are often in pools of water in the
spring that dry up to bone dry conditions in summer.
Some live along sea shores in salt marshes in the
South of France and Denmark. It would appear that they
should have lots of water in spring and can tolerate
drought in summer. I have had times when I could not
get new plants to establish but for the most part. If
a plant does not do well by its second year I would
try another location in the garden. But I reiterate I
do not believe there are many places that people
garden that can't grow most of the spurias. But
inexiplicably these plants that are virtually trouble
free can be miffy at times. It seems they either do
great or not at all. I think part of the probably is
they want TLC when being transplanted. 
- --- Laurie Frazer <lauriefr@localnet.com> wrote:





 


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