Siberian irises

In a message dated 5/1/99 2:06:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
mikecook@PIPELINE.COM writes:

<< My guess was that my plants didn't bloom until they were divided because
 the clumps were large and too crowded. >>

Even a crowded clump has a bloom or two around the edges.  Did these irises
ever bloom?   Sheila, Siberians in cold country do not divide well other than
early spring.  The divisions can take two or more years to recover.  The
first year a great deal of water is necessary.

The Siberian iris has many newly introduced cultivars in recent years.  Some
have branching and high bud counts missing in the older cv's.  It is worth
seeking out the best cv's.   Might as well grow a clump of something
wonderful.

I have discarded Siberians shy of bloom in my area.  Some these may bloom
well elsewhere.  The one size fits all zoning information is not always
accurate.

We have two eminent breeders of these new and somewhat longer blooming irises
in the northeast.  The team of Schafer/Sacks owners of Joe Pye Weed's Garden
and Dr. Currier McEwan whose irises appear in many northeastern catalogs.

There are others as well with the newer plants.  Always try to get a big
husky division in the early spring.  Smaller plants with two or three shoots
are a long wait.

Claire Peplowski
East Nassau, NY
z4

PS In shady areas iris reticulata is a spring bulb that was glorious this
year. It is pretty nearly done while the trees are still bare.  A hundred or
more is not too much.
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