Re: mulch for Siberians

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Karl Miller wrote:

>Have you noticed any soil change from using pine straw mulch, other >than 
>the usual mulch benefits? Like lowering of ph or toxicity build >up?

I have not tested the pH in the beds where I have the mulch lately ..which 
is one of my to-do things. However, I THINK that in one of my iris books, 
maybe in one of Currier's, I remember that the author related that pine 
straw didn't change the pH. I have heard folks say that may be a outcome but 
I haven't see it...I have lilium and bearded iris planted in the same beds 
(I do not mulch them with the pine straw) and they are doing beautifully and 
lilium prefers a higher pH.

Now that I examine my addled brain, maybe I am confusing pH stability of 
pine straw with sphagnum peat moss (which I use liberally also along with 
compost). I think it was peat moss that Currier referred to
but I will have the soil tested at Univ of NH soon in the most heavily 
mulched area to find out.

I did mulch all classes of bearded iris one year with no ill effects
but spent a full week on my knees in the wet April ground dragging it away 
from the rhizomes afraid it would encourage rot - meanwhile the
intended effect of the pine straw was debatable since it was not there 
during some hard frosts in April.

Toxicity? I certainly have seen none. The Siberians and Japanese irises use 
the pine straw for 'food'. It decomposes rapidly and I maintain (because it 
fits in with my gardening procedures :)) that it is the reason that the 
plants do well. One bushel of free pine straw
goes a long way in satisfying the food requirements (I do not use any
other food even for JIs but do water profusely) and it does its thing as a 
mulch to keep the soil moist, not for cold protection since low temps are 
not an enemy of the irises I grow, and it looks fairly presentable in the 
garden. All of my plants are in mixed borders. I have two new round beds 
interplanted with lilium and Siberians (and daffodils).

I grow many more bearded irises (medians) than I do Siberians (heresy?) and 
they remain unmulched and they are not planted deeply.

Claire P. mentioned the fire hazard of pine straw near the house...wouldn't 
that also apply to straw and other mulches like wood
chips and bark? Pine straw has one other advantage in that it stays put even 
with the puffy new applications. Wind doesn't move it. Maybe a tornado would 
send it flying but the house would be gone by then anyway and the plants 
uprooted....we don't live in tornado country just frigid country with a very 
short growing season.

Cheers,

Ellen Gallagher/ Berlin,NH / in the shadow of Mt. Washington in Zone 3



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