I wonder if Tom will be right, and we'll get better rebloom with the longer season? That should be interesting to see.

A day of rain making soggy flowers doesn't help the end of the iris season.

Polly John was able to squash the worm of orthocheata fly in the 'Lee's Blue' flower.

Here's another late one
Ring Around Rosie - Ernst 2000


Waiting on one more to open!

Lucky you!!

Good for John, Lucy, one less of those dang things.

Well, it opened today! The last new one to open. Well, not a new release, but first time blooming this year.
Romantic Mood - Ghio 1987


That's the end of the show!

I doubt it, Tom. I think with our early spring we will see rebloomers.

I'm hoping! I have a bunch of Sutton's new introductions from last year, and about half of them didn't bloom this spring, so it would be cool to see them this fall, as most of them are rebloomers. I ususally see Immortality, and at times Harvest of Memories. I've heard that they should be fertilized after they are done blooming to stimulate the fall bloom. I've got some Miracle Gro Bloom Booster to use on them. Anyone know how often I should use it? I've never used that before, so I could use some advice.

And a great show it was Tom -- thank you very much!

I don't think Miracle Gro of any sort hurts plants at all. I use it once a week to every two weeks, the regular. Just as long as it doesn't make the plants too wet, like if you're getting a lot of rain.

My last quality TB bloom for this year MY Beloved.
If there is any of this at our UIS Sale next month I will get a couple more. So pretty.

Thanks Polly, I'll proceed!

Paul, that's a really nice white one. That might have to be one I get too. The season is over, it seems to end so soon, but it really was quite long, just that time flies so fast. I think I will start dividing sooner this year, and see if I can sell some rhizomes. I usually have a July sale, but this year I might start earlier.

My last blossoms died today. I too am hoping for reblooms. Am I correct in that one should water occasionally to encourage reblooms? I think I read (or heard somewhere) to not worry about most TB's unless you want reblooms, then they should be watered (carefully so that rot doesn't set in)

I put my small veggie garden in the middle of one of my daylily beds. That's OK, because I have daylilies in my asparagus/ blueberry bed (where the peppers & tomatoes 'should' go!

Pleasant temps today, and dry. I was hoping for rain, but guess I will have to spend some time cutting my grass this evening instead. ~Jan

Jan they tell me that a little miracle gro once in a while will help push the re-bloomers, but care should be given not to over do it. I'd say once or twice over the summer. I wouldn't worry about watering them unless it's extra dry.

I water every week here.........

My iris are located next to the house on the west side, under a large overhang, so it is a very dry bed. As dry as it has been, I plan on watering it this weekend. Other than that, I only increase the water for a bit when they are new. I don't think rot will be much of an issue this year though!

I had read (here or somewhere else) to fertilize at the beginning of bloom season and at the end. And yes, I use Miracle Grow. I am glad you said "a little" it will keep me from overdoing it.

I have some that need moved, I have a few larger iris in front of some smaller ones. And I have a niece that is looking for iris, so I will give her some from my larger clumps next month. Too soon for me to have much extra right now, but in a year or two, I will have more available for her.

And of course, I am already thinking of widening that bed a bit. another foot wider and I can add a LOT more iris.....

Something has munched on a few of them - even though I treated my iris when it first got warm, I am suspicious of iris borer. I found some last year in an old clump of NoID's when I was making this bed last year. I don't know the signs of borer so I am going to do a bit of research this weekend. I don't know any other "bugs" that bother iris - it could be something else too.

Jan, I have had rabbits chew on iris in the winter, but never in the summer, guess they go for them when there is nothing else of interest to them. As far as the iris borer, I think that they eat themselves down to the rhizomes through the middle of the leaf. You can feel them and squash them I'm told. I've been busy selling iris. I decided that I would dig some early so I put some ads on Craigs List and have been going mad digging them. Looks like today will be another busy day. Gotta pay for those new ones some how, lol.

Good for you Tom! You have such beautiful iris.

I certainly have enough bunnies around here, so it could be. This is all along the edges, I will try to get a photo before I work on that bed this weekend (if I don't melt first) I saw some good articles on the forum about borers, but not any photos. (except of the borer itself, which I saw for real in that clump I moved last year) And never felt anything to "squash".

I resprayed those particular iris, and plan on digging them up next month when I plan some rearranging to check them out, and clean them up if necessary. ~Jan

To check for borer look at the edges of the leaves. If it looks wet & the edge is jagged pull the leaf apart & you will find the grub inside. Squash grub. Sometimes there are several but as they get bigger they are cannibals so may not find more than one. We found one yesterday but no signs on the rest of the clump. If there are people near you the borers may spread. If you got them in the old clump last yr you may be free for a year.

Tom, if you're shipping irises you sell, why not put an ad on here? There's an area for sales and swaps.