{Disarmed} RE: Re: Flight of Butterflies

I’m in agreement.  I have 300’ of perennial beds and understand that is SMALL by some of your standards.  However, beyond some extra water here and there, I have very little time to raise a family, let alone baby my plants.   I have found, however, that starting the bed out right is probably the key to success.  So I spend a little extra time initiating the bed.  We have very heavy clay that is alkaline (I will never have a blue Hydrangea – they are all pink!).    I have found I can grow tall bearded iris and Siberians – Japanese Iris seem to go belly-up in my garden and I’m assuming it’s due to the lack of acidity.  Other Iris, like Louisiana Flag does poorly also and I think it’s due to the lack of marshy water conditions.

 

I DO amend the soil with plenty of compost – my favorite being rotted manure.   I have tried adding peat moss to increase the acidity, but have still been disappointed.   I have discovered a lot of success by planting the Sib’s in a mixture of my native heavily dug soil with the addition of rotted manure and then watered regularly.  Sh’Bang!!!  Healthy plant!!!

 

So perhaps, Claire, it is your location and soil prep – a rock garden might not have the fertility needed.

 

Can any of the rest of the group please share their success in preparing and amending beds???   What is your “secret” combination to success for your Sibs?   And do any of you have highly alkaline, clay soil like I do?

 

Thanks for any advice and commentary!

 

Shawna Coronado

Zone 5, Chicagoland

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: sibrob@yahoogroups.com [mailto:sibrob@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ecpep@aol.com
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 11:31 AM
To: sibrob@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [sibrob] Re: Flight of Butterflies

 

In a message dated 6/26/2006 11:53:03 AM Eastern Standard Time, alhbee@aol.com writes:

My experience with F of B is very similar to Bob's. It is small with
finer leaves than adjacent sibs. It is just hanging despite being sited
just above a load of well rotten manure I hurried dumped. Such is life
with a shortage of space!!

Mine too, if I recall correctly.  I did see a much more vigorous form in the Berkshire Botanic (western Mass.) which inspired me to buy my plant.   I would buy another if I was certain it was a better clone and would flower at least some years.  I put the original plant, now that I think of it, in the rock garden due to it's small size.  It has never flowered since and I actually do not know if it still exists.

 

I do agree with the comment on bigger being better as not always a good thing.  There will always be collectors, I suppose, though good garden plants are the survivors overtime.  I have reached the stage in the garden where a plant needing endless nursing just cannot remain in my garden.

 

Claire Peplowski

zone 4 NYS mountains

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