julieseward1 said:I put in an iris bed last year. Everyone says not to mulch around Iris. But after a rainy week the weeds are as big as the plants and it's hard to get in to weed without injuring the iris. Plus it is killing my back. Any suggestions on how to win the weed war?
We are both in Ohio. We may have some differences in situation like how much sun and drainage, but borers are a real issue in this region.
Some folks have pine needles("straw?") Which they say is less inclined to contribute to dampness and therefore rot and leaf spot.
I. Love. Tiny stones. Pebble mulch. I bought some as tiny pea gravel pebbles from home depot.
I have clay that I could sculpt with. Drainage challenges. A puppy. A pond. No weed treatments, because either the dog will eat them or it's going to drain as runoff into the pond. The pebbles are not perfect. But the weeding is easier, because the weeds have to get leggy to push their way up so they are easy to pull and significantly more sparse than without them. And they help with crappy drainage issues.
I apply a lot to shape the drainage paths, and not so thick around the irises. Stifles weeds and doesn't contribute to excessive moistness. It's a win for me.
