Re: New garden
Howard Ashley wrote:
> I have a new garden apartment on Staten Island that actually has a garden.
> It faces south and of course Iris are going to be the featured performers.
> Right now it is quite overgrown with weeds and bushes, I don't imagine it
> has ever been seriously cultivated. I have two questions:
> 1. Is there anything I can do now to prepare the soil for next spring?
> 2. Is it possible for me to have Iris blooms next spring (this spring)
> without planting rizhomes right now; is it even possible to plant rhizomes
> this late? Temperatures are already down to the mid 40's low 50's, winter is
> nearly here. Thanks in advance for any ideas on the subject.
Chris responds:
I don't think it's too late. Go for it. Do nothing and you will have
nothing for sure!
Do some planting and there is every likelyhood that you will get some
nice bloom for your efforts.
Perhaps you could plant some bulbous iris types now, such as Iris
danfordiae or Iris reticulata which are very, very early blooming little
iris. Real harbingers of spring! Try some daffodils and tulips of
various types too, and then line out some of the "regular" rhizomous
iris later next season. (like tall bearded, standard dwarf bearded etc.,
etc..)
--
Christopher Hollinshead
Mississauga, Ontario Canada zone6b
AIS Region 16
Director, Canadian Iris Society
Newsletter Editor, Canadian Iris Society
e-mail: cris@netcom.ca
www: http://www.netcom.ca/~cris/CIS.html
