Re: New garden



>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..Howard A. Ashley, Staten Island.

(Where is Staten Island - is that New York?)

A lot of soil preparation depends on what the soil is like and what the
weather will be like over the winter.  If your soil is heavy (a lot of clay),
you will be able to get in it and work it much earlier in the spring if you
turn it now - it will warm and dry faster and freeze/thaw cycles will bust up
any clods.  If your soil is sandy, it probably won't matter much.

If you can find a local supply of rhizomes and dig a big hunk of soil along
with a whole clump of iris or get some that are in pots, why not plant some
now and maybe get a few flowers next spring.  The problem with planting them
this late is making sure the roots don't get broken or dried out - they won't
have time to make new ones. I think Lloyd said he had some experience
planting or moving rhizomes late in the year, though maybe not this late.   I
have planted rhizomes as late as December, but they didn't like it very much.

Linda Mann lmann76543@aol.com east TN USA
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