I don’t have a lot of luck with bearded irises, but I’m a plant optimist (or a fool), so I purchased and planted two new cultivars this spring. This is ‘Edith Wolford’:
‘Edith Wolford’ is a yellow and lavender bi-color that grows 35 inches tall.
It’s weird to leave part of a plant’s rhizome exposed to the elements, but if you bury a bearded iris too deep, it won’t bloom. I was very careful with my new plants and even protected ‘Edith Wolford’s’ rhizome with a bit of plastic fencing so the animals wouldn’t dig in the area and cover it up.
Unfortunately I didn’t do the same for dark, violet-purple ‘Rosalie Figge’. I planted it in the back of one of my flowerbeds and later decided I’d rather have it closer to the house. When I moved the plant I didn’t protect it and the next morning I found the rhizome chomped in half and lying 3 feet from its original location.
I stuck it back in the ground, but now it won’t bloom until next spring. If the angry critters show mercy, ‘Rosalie Figge’ will eventually grow 39 inches tall.
5 comments
Too bad about your Bearded Iris (Rosalie Figge). I grew a Bearded Iris several years ago, but it became too large and was a rather common variety. Rather than,a friend took it and still enjoys it. Since I frequently visit her garden it get the pleasure of enjoying it.
Hope your weather is improving. I am beginning to harden off my plants. We might get them in next week, but am wary of frost for the annuals. It’s not safe here until at least the last week of June. Can’t wait to leave them outside and into the ground.
I have 6 coreopsis Roulette. Two are about 8 inches tall. The other four look well, and about 2 in. Why might they be acting this way? Take care. I will send you another note after all my plants are free from the confined spaces. James
I LOVE your idea of giving away a plant that isn’t working out, and instead enjoying it in a someone else’s garden!
The spring weather has been a little crazy. Our May weather was much more like April (temperatures jumping all over the place) and now June is acting like May (lots of stormy, unsettled weather). You’re wise to be patient with setting out your annuals even though you’re tired of caring for them. I thought my plants would be safe once the temperatures were in the 70s (F) for a week, but the following week we had several frost threats. I was probably more stressed than the plants! They sat in the garden doing nothing for a couple of weeks, but now they are finally getting taller and adding more leaves.
I’ve had seedlings grow at different rates before, too. I use those little plastic domes over my flats when I’m first sprouting the seeds. They keep in the warmth and moisture, but I’ve read that you’re not supposed to leave a newly-sprouted plant under there for long or it can actually stunt its growth. So when they come up I immediately move them to open flat which means my plants get all mixed around. I should sort them back together again by type right away, but I usually wait until I’m just about ready to bring them up from the basement.
This year I had some short zinnias that were two different heights, and they looked kind of funny together once I sorted them back into the same flat. Some were 8+ inches tall and some were only 4 inches. Now that they are in the garden they all look about the same. I assume there must be just enough difference in heat and light—even under grow lights—to cause different rates of growth. If your coreopsis all look healthy, I wouldn’t worry about them growing at different rates.
I hope you have good weather for planting!
Thought I’d write a note to keep in touch. I did manage to get my plants in, but not nearly as many at our summer place as usually. Our weather has been terrible this year. Low temperatures and days of fog and drizzle at a time has taken a toll on our plants they are usually sitting in the wet soil waiting for sun. I was out in our garden an hour ago. Everything soaking wet. My knock Out rose bush has lots of buds, but not a flower yet. Our Peonies are ready to open but shivering the cold – 10 degrees C. Generally, a very depressing period with no end in sight according to long range forecast. Hoping the weather man will be wrong and we’ll get a better August and September.
How are thing with you. I hope your poor weather ended and you are having a great growing period. Almost forgot, but your Cheyenne confowers looked great. I have new yellow; it’s slowly showing its petals. Take care. James
I’m so sorry to hear that your growing season has been a bust so far. How awful! Compared to your weather I have nothing to complain about. It’s been wet here too (but warmer), and every once in awhile we have a beautiful, sunny day to make up for all the rain. Some of my lilies rotted from all the water and there are diseases popping up on plants that never got them before (like annual salvias—weird!), but everything is still hanging in there.
Thanks again for the tip on the ‘Latah’ tomato. I grew only early varieties this year and ‘Latah’ beat all of them. The first one ripened this week!
I hope your weatherman is indeed wrong and you get some nice growing weather soon!
Despite the weather the two tall Coreopsis Roulette mentioned earlier have begun to flower despite the weather. They are by the fence and about 15 inches tall. The others are among the lilies and beginning to grow. Might be ready for blooming mid-August if the better weather holds. No lilies yet!! Happy gardening, James
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