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Article: DON'T PLANT IRIS RHIZOMES TOO DEEPLY.(GRACIOUS LIVING)
- Article from:
- The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
- Article date:
- June 22, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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JIM LEIFER, who grows a lot of irises near St. John, Wash., writes in Country Living Gardener: ``The biggest mistake many first-time growers make is planting iris rhizomes too deep and overwatering them.'' For the first two years after planting irises, he says, water them judiciously during periods of drought. Thereafter, let nature do the work. Plant iris rhizomes out of range of automatic sprinkler systems. Too much moisture leads to fungal diseases and leaf spot, along with iris borers.
Leifer also says to fertilize sparingly, using only compost in the planting hole. After that, use a high phosphorus (13-32-6) fertilizer once a year. When flowers are ...