{Disarmed} Re: Living Mulches for Siberians

My bed mirrors your experience to some extent. I have a two-tier bed, with four 'mounds' in the center where the lilies are planted and with the Siberians around the edges (each with its own little watering basin) in the lower tier. There is about a 4-6 inch elevation difference between the two tiers. And each tier gets watered differently. The lily mounds have drip irrigation whereas I flood irrigate the siberians every couple of days; thus the sibs get probably 2-3 times the amount of water the lilies get.
 
However, I have found that many lilies (especially some of the Asiatics and the LA Hybrids) don't mind a lot of water so long as the drainage is very good. In particular, if you start with very small bulbs the lilies seem to adapt to the extra water quite well. I have a lot of smaller lily bulbs (including a number of orientals) poked into the ridges between the Siberian water basins and they're doing very well.
 
The only times I've had botryris problems have been when I watered from overhead and the lilies were too crowded to allow good air circulation (and thus quick drying of the foilage). With drip or flood this is mostly a non-issue. Especially here in Denver where we get very little rainfall of any type. Almost the same situation applied to my combined beds when I was living in Northern California. If I was living in a climate with lots of rainfall, however, I agree that drainage and botryris issues would be more of a problem.
 
I avoid dwarf lilies for the same reasons you do.
 
Best Regards,
Arthur
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 4:01 PM
Subject: Re: [sibrob] Living Mulches for Siberians

Hello;

I am interested in the joint sib/lily bed! The cultural conditions of the two plants are quite different. The moisture requirements for good Sib growth can be detrimental to good lily growth? Also I have had botrytis on lilies and watched sibs get infected also. The lilies survived and the iris did not. I found if I mound the lilies and depress the sibs the moisture issue can be resolved if I do not water from the top. What is your experience?

PS I avoid dwarf lilies(tend to be very susceptable to botrytis) and found LAs work best.

Bill
Debora Totoonchie <Totoo@jps.net> wrote:

>
>  
>Arther,
>
>It sounds great!! Have you taken any photos to share? I just mulch with Pine needle from our yard, they are free, look OK and do the job.nbsp;
>
>Debby T
>
>Arthur Goodwin wrote:  
>
>
>
> I tried something different this year and overplanted thenbsp;whole of my Siberian/Lily bed with moss rose (using an entire ounce of seed). I was inspired to do this because of all the purslane that kept growing rampantly in the bed and figured that since moss rose and purslane are both in the portulaca family, the moss rose (usually considered as a plant for poor stony, sandy, dry soil) might work as a living mulch for the siberians. nbsp;Did it ever work!nbsp; I now have an almost solid expanse of moss rose surrounding each of the Siberian plantings (and the feet of the lilies)nbsp;and now starting to bloom (in multi-colors) just asnbsp;the Siberians are finishing up. This promises to keep the bed in full color from now until frost. I know some might find this garish, but it works for me.
> nbsp;  What do other members of the robin use as companion plants/living mulchesnbsp;with their Siberians?
> nbsp; Best Regards,
> Arthur
> nbsp;    
>
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