CULT: mulch
- Subject: CULT: mulch
- From: L* M*
- Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 08:49:12 -0400
I try to keep newly planted rhizomes covered with a thin layer of soil
. This gravelly soil doesn't have drainage problems & they need
protection from oncoming winter ups and downs. Helps keep them from
spidering out of the ground during freeze/thaw cycles, but if they do,
rather than pushing them back down into my gravel (which I figure would
crush/tear roots even more than the freeze/thaw) I just kick or hoe more
soil on top or heap coarse creek sand on them. Seems to work pretty
well. I''ve found that the sensitive cultivars die whether or not they
have dirt on their rhizomes.
The following year the rhizomes will work their way to whatever level
they seem to 'prefer' - some wind up with all but the roots exposed,
some wind up nearly underground. I don't cover the exposed ones.
I haven't added organic mulch to the soil mulch over the rhizomes except
for the leafy twiggy teepees I described before. But I am planning on
experimenting with a small mulched bed next year if I get around to it.
One of our local club members grows irises commercially (Sunnyridge
Gardens) on a poorly drained clay soil, and they mulch heavily with
sawdust from a local sawmill every year with good success, without
growing in raised beds. I will ask them for details and post.
Linda Mann east tennessee USA zone 7/8
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