Re: CULT: winter care?
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: CULT: winter care?
- From: E* G* <e*@moose.ncia.net>
- Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 09:21:44 -0600 (MDT)
>Arnold Koekkoek wrote:
>>
>> I'd say you ought to mulch with something that doesn't pack down but
>> protects from winter sun.
>>
>>
> Thanks for the advice, Arnold -- but when do you recommend applying the
>mulch -- before first freeze -- after?
>
>Griff Crump, along the tidal Potomac near Mount Vernon, VA, where the
>disastrous winter of 1995-96 heaved up and killed hundreds of
>well-rooted, but unmulched, seedlings transplanted in July.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I won't answer for Arnold but we put put a smidgen of dirt and
cover the exposed rhizomes right after the first hard frost and
then put a very small convering of pine needles around the bearded
iris and yes, right up to the stalk. No big deal with straw, etc.
I was very much interested in John Montgomery's post and it is in
my iris files....if I lived in Zone 5, I would do what John does.
I am afraid to chance it with temps that can go down to -42 F degrees.
But I am sufficiently bold enough to take two or three bearded and
try leaving them 'naked' this winter and I will - ok, John?
Also, to Griff and others who live in that freeze, thaw cycle
territory of Zones 4-7, I instinctively feel (no scientist here :)
you should go with John's shaving or trimming of roots since they
seem to be of no use to you in the heaving, etc.
Cheers on a beautiful but chilly Fall day,
Ellen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ellen Gallagher \ e_galla@moose.ncia.net \ Lancaster, New Hampshire,USA
USDA Zone 3a \ Northern White Mountains\ AIS Region 1 {New England}
