Re: OT ? Labels Cows Eat!

Thanks, Sheryl,

I may do that next spring, to make room for some more particularly 
targeted for my hybridizing projects.

Patricia Brooks
Whidbey Island, WA


--- In iris-talk@y..., Cheryl & Erich Schaefer <schaefer@c...> wrote:
> Patricia Brooks asked a few questions and I'm sorry it took so long 
to answer.
> "Great story about the cows.  But I had to gasp at your mention
> of "cutting the irises down."  What does that mean?!  Do you 
actually
> shear off stalks and leaves after bloom?  What I've always 
understood
> is stalks, yes, after bloom; but leaves NO until they wither."
> 
> The iris leaves were cut in early November for the winter. We cut 
as 
> late as possible in the selling beds, and only if and when they 
look 
> ratty in our garden before late fall.
> 
> "You mention local selling.  Does that mean you cut the stalks while
> blooming to sell the rhizomes?  Or dig up the whole thing?  In which
> case, what were the cows munching on."
> 
> We sell the entire plant, in bloom, in June. While the timing isn't 
> ideal for the iris, the customer has no doubt what he or she is 
> buying and the irises recover just fine, apparently whether the 
buyer 
> cuts the bloom stalk and leaves, as we recommend, before replanting 
> or not. Tough plants these irises! The cows were feasting on the 
> unsold irises in the first of eight 400 ft. rows. We have 5,000 
> plants in the ground now, about 25% of which are mature clumps 
which 
> we divide after two years if not sold. We only do this to support 
my 
> habit. Beats drugs.
> -- 
> Cheryl Schaefer
> schaefer @capital.net
> Zone 5 in the fabulous Finger Lakes of NY


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