The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

@microchick
Iris rhizomes should not be covered with mulch...or dirt for that matter (too easy for them to rot in our humidity).
Because grasses usually spread by runner and not seed, corn gluten meal (Preen) isn't much help on perennials like Iris but will work around annual crops like onions or in an area where grass isn't a problem.
I find that making the Iris beds my first priority for weeding and keeping the area around them clear works best. If something gets started due to my laziness , digging the Iris out, cleaning the area and replanting makes me more diligent.
I love my Irises,too. This wasn't a good year for them...too cold late and then hot.
Here are a couple pictures:
View attachment 1450338
View attachment 1450339

Very Pretty!

 

[chickadoodles]

NAF very pretty!

 

[CapricornFarm]

@microchick
Iris rhizomes should not be covered with mulch...or dirt for that matter (too easy for them to rot in our humidity).
Because grasses usually spread by runner and not seed, corn gluten meal (Preen) isn't much help on perennials like Iris but will work around annual crops like onions or in an area where grass isn't a problem.
I find that making the Iris beds my first priority for weeding and keeping the area around them clear works best. If something gets started due to my laziness , digging the Iris out, cleaning the area and replanting makes me more diligent.
I love my Irises,too. This wasn't a good year for them...too cold late and then hot.
Here are a couple pictures:
View attachment 1450338
View attachment 1450339

Gorgeous!

 

[microchick]

@NotAFarm, your Iris are gorgeous!

I have a light blue that is very dear to me. An elderly neighbor that lived next door to the house I inherited from my parents gardened. When he died, his wife let his flower beds go to pot. I asked her if I could have some of his iris and she said yes. The blue has traveled from central IL to western IL to northeastern Missouri.

The elderly genteman and I used to have gardening duels to see who could grow the most flowers in their yards. Good memories.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have some deep purple Siberian irises that my mom got from her grandmother's house when she was young, the plants they came from would certainly by now be close to a hundred years old. Or maybe they are in a way that old, since they are from rhizomes and not from seed.

 

[microchick]

I have a lot of plants like that. One is a prickly pear cactus that I brought home from a fishing trip with my folks when I was in my twenties. Starts move with me from the almost 40 year old original plant.

Got pics of my problem Iris bed.

You can see where I started to weed on the left and thought to myself that there had to be an easier way. I was trying to beautify the power pole when it went in.

Different angle. Weeded Zinnias and soon to be blooming Bachelor Buttons next to my weed encrusted Iris...and my homely little garden gnome.

Not bad from a distance, just don't look too close at that Iris bed! Yeah, in difference to my trick back I sprayed the parameter with weed killer.The least amount of time I have to spend bent over or kneeling to weed, the better IMHO.

 

[ronott1]

I have a lot of plants like that. One is a prickly pear cactus that I brought home from a fishing trip with my folks when I was in my twenties. Starts move with me from the almost 40 year old original plant.

Got pics of my problem Iris bed.

You can see where I started to weed on the left and thought to myself that there had to be an easier way. I was trying to beautify the power pole when it went in.
View attachment 1450801 Different angle. Weeded Zinnias and soon to be blooming Bachelor Buttons next to my weed encrusted Iris...and my homely little garden gnome.
View attachment 1450803 View attachment 1450805

Not bad from a distance, just don't look too close at that Iris bed! Yeah, in difference to my trick back I sprayed the parameter with weed killer.The least amount of time I have to spend bent over or kneeling to weed, the better IMHO.

Very pretty flowers!

 

[chrisb01]

 

[pennyJo1960]

 

[drumstick diva]

Iris are gorgeous and well worth the effort. Having said that, I haven't had iris for nearly 50 years. They bloomed well a first time and never came back. .

Oh the other hand weeds LOVE me. I can feel it, I can see it, no matter how angry I get at them and spray them and pull them out, they come back stronger than ever.