TBGDN's blog: Irises In The Landscape

Posted on Jun 4, 2016 3:47 PM

Thumb of 2015-10-17/TBGDN/e8a9d7 Thumb of 2015-10-17/TBGDN/f29643A vital part of a landscape that should (must) change over time is in the iris gardens. I use irises in almost every garden setting, and plant as many different ones as possible. But, irises have special needs: They are not carefree! Some folks will plant an iris rhizome and expect it to remain in place for millennia. Wrong! Depending on the class and variety of iris plants, growth and increase in size and volume can be overwhelming. For the sake of this discussion I will limit the classification to bearded irises, MDB, SDB, BB and TB primarily. Once the plants grow and expand into neighboring clumps there is little room for air circulation and lack of sunlight reaching the rhizomes. These two factors cause disease risks to be elevated. These conditions also contribute to diminished bloom, dry rot, bacterial soft rot, and mustard seed fungus. There is another pathogen called Erwinia carotovora which is a plant bacteria capable of causing rot problems, especially in hot, humid weather. (This pathogen can cause heavy losses in vegetable crops too. Some that can be affected include cotton, onions, carrots, corn, potatoes and others.) In the two pictures at right I've dug and separated two major iris beds in preparation for division, cleaning, disinfecting and replanting. When this process is complete I will keep back only two or three rhizomes for replant; the rest are given away to neighboring gardeners and to irisarians at the ATP (NGA) Iris Forum. Many of these pictured here have gone to several states in the eastern U. S. the summer of 2015. At least 100 different rhizomes went to Arkansas and Pennsylvania alone. Others went to Iowa, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Illinois.

Thumb of 2015-10-17/TBGDN/267cb2 Thumb of 2015-10-25/TBGDN/6563bcIn the pictures below the one at left shows the proper replant of the rhizome from Holy Night a TB iris. The second picture below shows an over-crowded clump of Holy Night which actually resulted in the replants of the first picture. The last two pictures show clumps (at left & right in this paragraph) which are nearing the 'dig & divide' category. They will be scheduled for 'dig and replant' in 2016 or possibly 2017. The picture at right from my own gardens shows a tranquil scene which upon closer inspection hides an invitation for trouble! Plants have clearly grown together at their bases with rhizomes and foliage 'smothering' each other. Conditions like this invite disease and insect problems mentioned above.


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So, the bottom line for the picture is this: Give irises (especially the TB's) lots of room to grow and expand. Notice too there are heavy dew drops on the leaves. In my opinion this calls for even more space as well as a sunny location to dry the plants with natural sunlight and air circulation. I see several posts made in the iris forums concerning rot and plant losses, and I wonder myself if possibly weather conditions such as hot, humid and rainy locations suffer most. All of these factors I'm sure play some role in our ever-changing landscapes. Let me explain that I base my thoughts and statements on my personal experiences with my own gardens and landscape within the USDA Zones 5a/b in the central part of the U. S. There are just as many other valid, differing opinions and views out there depending on geographical location and personal experience of others. After seeing the cold, wet weather conditions of April and May 2016 I can't help but note the widespread losses of irisarians across the region. Opinions are varied on this subject. These are only mine, and they do not take priority over other views and ideas! But, hopefully they will add to successful, ever-changing landscapes. Happy gardening.

What's Ahead?
Having just come off the 2016 iris season I must admit having better years. But that is true of other gardening ventures too, such as vegetable gardens, roses and other hardy perennials. So I guess my thoughts are like those of others with proverbial 'green thumbs': Move on and plan ahead! For some of us that means cutting back and being very selective in what we grow. For others it might mean massive expansion of gardens and landscapes. With this said it becomes apparent we are all individuals with differing ideas, likes, and abilities! There are no wrong ways to move forward, except to do nothing at all! It is a very satisfying feeling to step back occasionally and see the results of our efforts. I am particularly glad to see the success of others no matter their location, from Maine to California, or around the globe!

Random Thoughts And Pictures
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Shown above are SDB Stroke Of Brilliance, MDB Tingle, SDB & Wish Upon A Star.

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No matter our plans, thoughts or needs, we must consider the amount of work required to support our ideas. And, I must be honest; gardening of any kind takes a lot of time, effort and W-O-R-K! That's not all bad: Garden work is (to me at least) a labor of love. It's an effort I never seem to tire of! I have also found this line of "work" to be very satisfying and therapeutic. And to make it even more valuable it is such a great stress reliever; a good way to minimize or erase daily problems and drudgery. So let your time, patience and ability be your guide and have fun along the way! Throw in a little creativity and you're all set!

Thanks For Reading
Thumb of 2016-06-04/TBGDN/9eef12 Thumb of 2016-06-04/TBGDN/e3bec1Hello and welcome to my blog. I am known as TBGDN (Tall Bearded Iris Garden). A lot of metaphoric water has flowed under my proverbial bridge since the picture was taken at left and the one at right. I seem to be a "Jack of all trades", but master of none. My interests are varied and many. They range from aircraft design to wildlife, photography, gardening of all kinds, and reading. I enjoy in-depth Bible study. Hebrew and Greek manuscripts are particularly interesting. Pets are among my every day care and concerns. I am currently assigned to two firmly attached cats and assorted mix of chickens. I appreciate your visit, and I hope you'll stop by again! Everyone is most welcome!




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