Thursday, May 07, 2009

Dividing Iris...




Normally I divide irises in the fall, but today I spent most of the morning digging out a passel of them from my front flower bed. It was quite overrun with iris and catmint and this spring I am determined to set that bed to rights with some proper attention and a little garden-love. I'm spading the whole thing up and then will mulch the back of it so as to keep our wood foundation from deteriorating. Then I will add some more composted manure, till, and replant the spot with some xeri-plants that will tolerate our harsh winter and summer conditions. Iris do that job beautifully, but I was long overdue in whittling down the over-population of them.



I dug a huge cardboard milk box full of common irises and two 5 gallon buckets of oriental iris. I replanted more of the common irises in the backyard garden along the fenceline and I'm excited about how nice that will look as they grow. I don't expect my little transplants to bloom this spring, but perhaps next. Sometimes iris surprise me and pop out a beautiful blossom despite their uprooting. They are tough, tough plants.



Here are the iris transplants back in the soil in the backyard.

4 comments:

  1. I love the boots and stump picture, Jody!

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  2. Don't you love getting the garden tidy and in order? And taking care of jobs you've been meaning to do for ages? Good work, great pix!

    frances

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  3. Irises are tough and prolific! We still have to move several perennials and divide a bunch more...want to come over and get some? :)
    Have a great weekend
    Niki

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  4. Iris love a good 0-20-0 the phosphorus is good for root formation.

    Phosphorus: bone meal, rock phosphate, super phosphate

    Oh they are gonna look so pretty. I will need to do the same thing this fall. Mine are getting too big for the space. I love your jeans and boots girl.

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