Re: [gardeners] So. Cal. Irises
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 01 Oct 1999 11:45:24 -0500
Ron Hay wrote:
>
> Good morning, friends.
>
> Here in Los Angeles, our beardes irises have started to bloom again, and
> will probably continue to do so for several months. Are there any
> southern gardeners who have experience as to when to cut them back. Our
> "gardener" cut them back at the same time he cut back our African
> daylillies, in May, which I think was much too late, causing them to
> bloom much later than the daylillies did in June/July.
>
> This is a rather strange time of year here in L.A. We have had the
> coolest summer since 1965, and now we have a mild Santa Ana with temps
> in the low 100s. Tomorrow,it should be back down in the 80s, thank
> goodness. These high temps and single digit humidity have all of us
> clutching our bottles of Eucarin, in an attempt not to look like
> lizards.
>
> At least the passion fruit vine likes it, having set a couple of dozen
> new fruit during this brief spate of hot weather.
>
> Happy gardening to you all.
>
> Ron
> Van Nuys, CA
> Sunset zone 20, USDA 9+(we do get a frost every rainy season)
We're in USDA zone 9b, SW Louisiana and hardly ever cut back our irises.
We grow bearded iris (common) and Louisiana beardless and the leaves
seldom turn yellow around here unless we get a good frost (a rare
occurence). Miz Anne does cut them back to about 4 inches if they yellow
but, as I said, that's pretty rare. Ours only bloom for a couple of
months in the spring.
Had to get up last night and get a blanket, turned off cold, down into
the low fifties. Right now it's cool enough for long pants versus shorts
and the sun is shining brightly. We've spread the well-rotted horse
manure mixed with rice hulls and the compost on the main garden and will
go out and till it under in a few hours. Put up about a quart of chopped
sweet peppers this morning, bagged and frozen and chopped another quart
and put them in the crock as another layer for hot sauce. Got a loaf of
bread baking in the bread machine and a yellow sheet cake baking in the
oven. Miz Anne's in her studio painting, Sleepy Dawg's taking a practice
nap, and I think I'll go get some lunch. Life is indeed good.
George