Wonderful land and garden. Love the trellis. You have a great knack for creating interesting sites and places. Love you viewing area. I really want a trellis but all improvements are stopped in hopes that we will be moving to a new place. But I will be keeping so many neat ideas I have seen here in mind for my new gardens.
I shudder to contemplate the amount of digging and transporting (by truck though only about 60 miles) my favorite plants (lilies, peonies, dahlias) and taking bits and pieces of the other perennials. Can't denude the yard for the new buyers.
When we moved from Chicago area to western Kentucky, I dug up every Iris I had there, split the rhizomes and replanted half for the new owner. Brought the other half with me to Kentucky. There was enough for everybody!!
Thoughts become things -- choose the good ones. (www.tut.com)
I will be moving right around blossom time, and plan to dig up most clumps, around 220 of them. Those very common or undesirable ones [if that is possible] will be mostly left behind. I'm not looking forward to the work, and hope clumps transfer well with much dirt attached. Will miss the blooms though as I expect some of them to give up in the process.
That's too bad that the timing works out that way. Are you moving locally or transferring to an entirely new place? A local move would be much easier...especially when you have a lot of iris plants to move!
It will be a local move so that will make it easier. The sales contract will include some statement about the irises and lilies not conveying with the property and the seller should expect to be on the property digging until the task is finished. I have saved super market fruit trays to move them, so hopefully I can move around 25 at a time. If lucky some will bloom early and others will keep their buds when moved with their own dirt clump.
Dave, when I buy Iris from the local lady she digs them while in bloom and puts them in large brown bags for me to take home. No dirt comes with the Iris. It is usually later that day or the next day that I pot them up. I've only lost two Iris in about 4 or 5 years and one of those that was lost was a weak grower anyway. Most continue to bloom too. I think your going to be fine moving them while in bloom.
• “Whoever said, ‘Do something right and you won’t have to do it again’ never weeded a garden.” – Anonymous
Another option, Dave, would be to dig and pot them up early this spring trying not to disturb the roots much, and just slip them into the ground when you move. I'm not sure how that would work, but it might be worth a try. I know that when I have had some sent in from Tempo Two bare root in the spring, and pot them they often bloom yet later that summer. If nothing else, it might be a good experiment with a few. Good luck with the move.
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
Thanks for some good ideas and pointers. The first and only experiment was last spring when I dug some blooming NOID's in east Tennessee and kept them in the car for the 700 mile ride with an overnight stop. All lost their blossoms and buds either en route or after planting, which was done on the day of arrival, but all clumps survived well and are showing new growth this year. This was to be the year of great bloom expectations!
Sounds like you have a lot to keep you busy Dave. Iris are hardy creatures. I had one mailed to me last September that bloomed in November! Hopefully yours will still bloom for you, even if it's a bit late! You will have to post pics to show how they are doing.
"The chimera is a one time happenstance event where the plant has a senior moment and forgets what it is doing." - Paul Black
I like the idea of postponing the closing. Don't know if the builder will go along with it on their end though. A frustration is that I cannot do any planning until I know how much land space will be on the 4 sides of the house which might be in a few weeks. Then must determine how much sun the north side will get, if any. But all will come together at some point.
Name: Bonnie Sojourner Harris Brake Lake, Arkansas (Zone 7a) Magnolia zone
I remember as a child, when we moved from the city of little rock to the farm, my chore was watching the baby and keeping mama's plants safe. She had taken slips of a few which wound up being many. She had potted a lot ahead of the move in order to settle the family in before planting them. Then there were the irises. Just dried out brown pieces of old plant material. I thought Mama had taken leave of her senses. Those dead things would never make a flower. Lol
Thro' all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul— How can I keep from singing?
I can't wait to post more pictures when everything starts greening up.
Are you moving locally or transferring to an entirely new place? A local move would be much easier...especially when you have a lot of iris plants to move!
