My Iris are just astounding this year. A friend told me that if I put some alfalfa around them in the fall, they would bloom heavier this Spring, and she was right!
I bought a bag of alfalfa pellets and scattered them around the corms. I was probably a bit heavy-handed, but the plants seem to have done well. It doesn't seem to matter which form of alfalfa you use, but the pellets were the tidiest for our gardens.
I plan to take pictures of the gardens with my trusty disposable camera this week. When the pictures have been developed, I'll post a few here. At least you'll be able to see the big picture.
I have one deep purple iris that has done poorly for the past three years. Last year I had one bloom stalk on the plant and the dog snapped it off when he tumbled into the plant. This year, I think there may be six bloom stalks, and I can't wait to have them open! Some of my newer iris are blooming this year, too. Usually I have good luck with blooms the first full season, but I moved these, and then they were heaved out of the ground with the freeze and thaw.
It looks like garnet, or burgundy is my favorite color for iris, but we have yellow, bronze, purple, and blue varieties getting ready to open. One of the most beautiful pale varieties is a delicate ruffled peach called "Infinite Grace."
I was going to dig up and dispose of a pale lavender iris this year, but I may save a few pieces of it and plant it where it will contrast those stronger colors.
Yup, I'm iris happy. Come visit me this time of year, when my gardens are at their best!
Comments (6)
You're just raving about the irises to make me feel bad about delaying my trip up that way, aren't you, Buffy? Sounds wonderful. The picture that you posted some time ago of your front walk with walls of iris confirmed your glowing report. I'm surprised that the bunnies didn't eat all of the pellets.
Posted by Cop Car | May 19, 2004 5:53 PM
Posted on May 19, 2004 17:53
I thought rabbits too when I read about the alfalfa pellets. Maybe the are specially made not to smell good to wildlife?
Posted by bogie | May 20, 2004 5:29 AM
Posted on May 20, 2004 05:29
We have a purple Iris from my Mother's time in the garden. It hasn't bloomed in a while, but is quite a beauty when it does. Not sure we can get alfalafa here. Maybe if I just pee on it....that may just kill the plant, right?
Get yourself a nice digicam Buffy. Posting pictures is easy then. No need to have anything 'developed'. Just print away.
Posted by Dr. D. | May 20, 2004 9:06 AM
Posted on May 20, 2004 09:06
Dr. D. - my cats use one of my iris beds for a sand box (they like something about the mulch). If that hasn't killed the irises, you taking your "nature calls" out in the iris patch, probably won't do anything either!
Posted by bogie | May 21, 2004 7:55 AM
Posted on May 21, 2004 07:55
I'm looking forward to your pics. It seems you have some incredibly neat Irises that may make me want to consider expanding the ones I have to more varieties. Hurry, hurry before it's too late for this year's flower bed.
Posted by Roberta | May 21, 2004 10:48 AM
Posted on May 21, 2004 10:48
Cop Car...you SHOULD feel guilty for making me wait until September to meet you! lol
I have NO idea why the bunnies didn't eat the alfalfa pellets. Or the deer, for that matter. I used more of them than I should, I suspect, so you'd think as they disintegrated there would have been some odor that would have drawn them. Alfalfa sure makes a great fertilizer for the iris!
Doc, my dog has taken to peeing in the gardens, but I think he's missed the iris. I can help you with that Iris problem. I'll send you a note about it.
Roberta, I've taken several pictures, but I need to use up the rest of the roll to get them developed. THe gardens have been spectacular, but the rain last night was really hard on the iris. I have a lot of plants that need staking. We'll have to hope they hang on, because the newest iris are just blooming.
Doc...I think the digital technology is beyond me.
Posted by Buffy | May 22, 2004 8:18 PM
Posted on May 22, 2004 20:18