I am looking to put some irises in my yard. I have sandy acidic soil, and full sun in the front, deep to dappled shade in the back. I know La irises are recommended in the area, but my soil is so well drained that I don't want to be a slave to the water hose for them. In my Perennial Gardens for Texas by Julie Ryan, spuria and Dutch irises are recommended. Any suggestions?
I have also been given some walking iris and crested iris so if anybody has some tips on those, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Joey
**edited because my typing skills leave a lot to be desired!**
This message was edited Apr 19, 2008 9:26 AM
Spuria and other Irises in Houston Area
Joey ~ I may be wrong but don't think you would need to keep the LA iris watered that much. They like moisture but are durable and will grow with neglect. A warning, however, they tend to travel (as in spread). I have them and bearded iris growing. I also have two different types of walking iris. I am afraid you will find the walking iris may need winter protection. I keep mine in pots and move into a plant shelter. 8b may be all right in ground if you mulch them.
I must say, I also have that book by Julie Ryan and find myself refering to it often. pod
REally? I thought they would need a lot of water? I may try a couple. Have you ever tried the spuria? Some of them are so beautiful! They seem to enjoy dry summers so that seems perfect. LOL all I have to do now is find a few.
About the beardeds? I get so confused about them, the Germans etc.
Wanting a few irises has turned into quite the research project!!
I have walking iris in 8b and mine overwintered just fine this year. I got them in the fall and didn't know anything about them. I didn't even mulch them. Now whether they bloom or not, I don't know as of yet. The tops died down, but they are up now and looking pretty good.
For your LA irises, you might use a helping of water keep crystals. I have the same soil as you do and I use a lot of water crystals. I don't have the problem with drainage that most people do, I have a lot of problems getting the water to stay on the plants long enough to give them a drink.
I am hosting an RU that will be fairly close to you guys. Check out the link if you may be interested.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/815723/
Charlene
I may have to try the walking Iris in ground... just a few to see how they do.
I have never grown the Spuria ~ it looks pretty.
Don't know why but the blackberry lilies and candy lilies have popped into mind. Their foliage is Irislike but the blooms are delightful and they reseed. The foliage will die down overwinter (unlike the bearded Iris) and are pretty. This year I hope to see some of these that will bloom purple.
I wish I could! I read the thread and it looks like a lot of fun! But I have a 2 year old and traveling with him is a nightmare. You never know by June maybe? I really wish I could have made the CSRU it was so close to me!
I am going to get to meet a few Dgr's at the Houston Daylily Society Sale, so that may ahve to hold me for a while!
Has anyone purchased from Comanche Irises? Looks like they have some good prices and while they don't have a lot of feedback in the GW what they have is good!
Blackberry lily! A-ha! That's what the unknown in my garden that I got at the trade last fall. Thanks for mentioning the foliage looks like iris podster!. :)
I've grown Spuria Iris successfully for years in Bellaire in a raised bed (good soil on top and yucky gumbo down below) with 1/2 day sun. It's a wonderful iris, blooming just after the LA iris. I think the Spuria foliage looks better longer than that of LA iris (which I also grow). My original Spuria irises came from a Houston garden club bulb sale. I've contributed Spuria iris to the Bellaire Garden Club sales for years. I need to dig up a number of a purple/blue Spuria immediately after blooming (not the optimum time) to make room for something I really need to plant. It goes dormant in late July/Aug which is when it should be dug. This is an excellent perennial for the Houston area (and probably north of us as well). I've also purchased some Spurias from a MO grower which I'm testing (mail-order plants are shipped in their dormant state). Sometimes Spurias "pout" the first year after transplanting and don't bloom. By the second year, they should bloom as before.
Leslie
Thanks so much for your input. I'm actually hoping to make the HGC Bulb Mart this year. I have also found a few places online to purchase a few, so I am eager to try them. I think they are lovely and their dormant period coincides well with our dry summers and my rich but sandy soil.
So to make sure I am understanding...I should plant during their dormant period? Later in the summer? I am building a full sun bed in the middle of a circle driveway, and am hoping to add some of these there. The timing will be perfect as we are still at least a month away from having the driveway completed (probably more like 6 weeks).
Also, have you tried any of the arilbed iris? These too have intrigued me.
Thanks again for your insight!
Joey
Your best bet is to plant when they are dormant (August/September) which is when they're usually shipped. That should agree with the Bulb Mart date. I must warn you that the the last few times I went to the bulb mart they did NOT have Spuria Iris so you really can't count on getting them there. I've gotten good cultivars from www.comancheacresiris.com (not the pricey ones). I'll try to remember to check back and see if you've posted again. I'd be happy to give you some of my purple/blue ones if we could figure out where to make the transfer.
I usually give my Spurias a good helping of sheep manure just about the time they began to come out of dormancy and again in January. Otherwise I don't fertilize. They are very undemanding. Some are quite tall; others are small. They are now breeding little ones.
Leslie
I'm so glad to hear about Comanche, that's the site where I had first looked for these, and I loved their variety and their prices.
I have a good available supply of cow manure and a nice working compost system, so
that shouldn't be a problem.
LOL I would love to have a few of your "extras" I come into Houston fairly regularly, so if you still want to part with some whe the time comes, meeting shouldn't be a problem. I live right outside of The Woodlands, but I lived in the Heights for a while in my younger days, and am familiar with most of Houston. I still love to shop the Heights Antique Alley, even though it's not as much of a secret as it used to be.
Thanks again!
Joey
Jo Jo
You're going to the daylilly sale? Are you going to stay overnight Fri. or just drive in?
Anne
Oh it's only about 30 minute drive for me at that time on a Saturday so I'll just be driving in. My DD is definately having her B day party that evening, but hopefully I will have everything done ahead of time and can stay for a little while. LOL depends on how cooperative the rest of the family is with prep.
I'm thinking that I'll stay somewhere in the area rather than get up at some unholy hour and try to drive.
Anne
Do you need help finding a place? I could do some looking for you.
There is a map with nearby hotels listed.
Anne
Well if you need anything let me know. I used to live in the Heights so I know my way around that area pretty well. Are you going nursery hopping?