Spring is busting out all over !....Arlyn

You're right but I'm worried about the possible frost Tuesday morning. Do you think it will hurt the blooms?

Cameron -- I just read back a page here and saw that you like peach Irises. I'm not positive about this -- but I may have a peach Iris that needs thinning this year, that I could share with you. It's in a bed that I neglected for a long time, and hasn't bloomed in awhile -- but we got that bed cleared of overgrown bermuda grass, the sun is shining on those rhizomes, and I'm thinking I'll get some blooms that will prove that I've got there what I think I've got there. Still with me? Anyway, the name of the Iris is Pompano Peach, an Iris that I bought from Schreiner's way back in 1977. Here's a picture:



Let me know if you like it.

Oh wow, that's a breathtaking peach color.! That would be so wonderful Mary Ann. I hate dealing with Bermuda grass. My mom's friend has it in all her flowerbeds. I pull it several times a year and it just comes back stronger. Last year was the worst, I ended up pulling enough bermuda grass to fill 4 of those paper yard waste bags. It was even in her containers.

Your purple flower may be a form of I.pallida judging by the papery spaeths.

Cameron -- you can't pull it. You can't even dig it. If you do either one, it just grows multiple starts from the point where the root came apart. It's enthusiasm is unparalleled.

To get rid of it, especially where it is seriously entrenched, you have to spray it -- with a grass killer. And one application likely isn't going to be enough -- two or three or four applications, depending on the severity of the invasion. I sprayed mine once last year and caused a set-back -- I'm going to tackle it with a vengeance this year.

Anyway -- I'm glad you like Pompano Peach -- I hope I can send you some.

Lucy I really hope it is a form of pallida. Hopefully it will have a strong fragrance. I know I can't rush nature but I'm so anxious because I want to see what the bloom looks like.
Mary Ann you're right about not being able to pull or dig up Bermuda grass. I tried both, I even dug over a foot deep and I was still finding roots.Nothing's more frustrating than breaking off pieces without getting any roots. My mom's friend calls it devil grass The sad thing is, I brought home some plants from her yard and that's when I started finding it growing in my flowerbeds I think I may try spraying it with grass killer a few times, I just have to be careful around her plants and shrubs. I think it has some intelligence because it seems to grow very close to all of her plants lol. I also have a problem with nutgrass in my flowerbeds and I hate that stuff as much as the Bermuda grass.

The other iris is almost fully open, too bad the freeze is probably going to kill it tonight It smells like grape soda. I wish there was a way to protect the flower.

You can put a garbage can over it tonight, but weight it down so it doesn't blow off. That should keep it from freezing.

Yeah, Cameron, DO weight it down or you will be chasing it down! (Winds the last few days have been pritty strong. )

Thanks Debra and Tom. The winds have definitely been strong lately. My poor banana plant is shredded. I'll see if I can find something tall to protect it. My crinums are nearby so the flowerbed is pretty crowded.

Do you have something like a tomato cage? You could put that down, then wrap it with a plastic bag, bubble wrap, or fabric of some kind.

Oh Debra, what a good idea. Tomato cages and plastic garbage bags! Perhaps I can get my coat, mittens and toboggan on and go to work saving some things. In the middle of April when all danger of frost is not supposed to be occurring for this zone we are going to drop below freezing tonight. I can believe it because temps are dropping quickly now.

I covered this in this thread. It is good reading in my opinion.

The thread "Keeping your Re-Bloomers warm until they bloom!" in Irises forum

Cool!

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I'll try tenting with a plastic bag, I'll just have to find some sticks because I don't have any tomato cages.

Cameron you still have time to run by any place that sells plants and pick up a few. they are cheap and come in handy for corralling tall bloomstalks during windy days also.

Make some twig-twist-tie-teepees.

I'll try to make the twig twist teepees since its free I probably should invest in some tomato cages this year.

Saturday, I bought a 10-pack of small ones at Home Depot for $10. Used three for sugar snap peas and two for clematis. Handy to have around and these seemed to be inexpensive.