Today in Hermann

[iris lilies]

We’ve had about a week of gorgeous weather. It is prime iris planting time. DH built terraced beds for iris. I have shown them before, but they are shaping up better now!

Each level holds 80-100 iris varieties. There are 4 levels made up of 8 sections. Over the past 48 hours we hauled 400 lbs of Turface, 120 gallons of compost, and 60 gallons of wood chip mulch down the hill to amend soil in essentially 2 sections. Jeppy sez we dont really need a garden tractor, but I say we do.

I’m not hauling that stuff down the hill without mechanical aid. As it is I have to lift those 50 pound bags of Turface to position them where I want them before I rip them open. I don’t like that but I have to do it. I’ll lift a 65 pound bulldog when I have to as well, but I don’t like doing it.

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This shows 4 stages of iris bed preparation.

1. near left, Turface spread over 1” deep on top of already-tilled-in compost. Waiting to be tilled.

2. back left: weedy, unprepared iris bed. I had to throw in iris very quickly over the past 18 months because I was moving out from my major iris garden and my lease was up. I didn’t have time to amend soil. Yet, Iris being Iris, they all grew well and already I had to divide them. They breed like cats.


3. Near right: Newly planted section that has been composted, tilled, had Turface spread on it, tilled in, planted, and mulched. This is the end result of all our work and eventually everything will look like that.


4. Back right. Section is ready for planting. It has compost tilled in deeply and Turface tilled in at a superficial level. I will plant it next week.


Here are grapes looking good at the end of my block. An old Victorian winery sits nine doors away.

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[razz]

You will be sleeping well after heaving all that stuff around. Just curious - how often will these huge beds require extra substantial amendments in the future after all this effort now? It will be quite the show place when you are all done. It must fun to see it all unfolding as you wish. I have looked at the photos a few times trying to determine the size of each level that will hold about 100 varieties of irises planted about 6 inches apart and in 2 rows . My calculations got me wondering about how big each level really is?
It is interesting to see how this is happening so thanks for sharing.

[Yppej]

Wheelbarrow?

[iris lilies]

You will be sleeping well after heaving all that stuff around. Just curious - how often will these huge beds require extra substantial amendments in the future after all this effort now? It will be quite the show place when you are all done. It must fun to see it all unfolding as you wish. I have looked at the photos a few times trying to determine the size of each level that will hold about 100 varieties of irises planted about 6 inches apart and in 2 rows . My calculations got me wondering about how big each level really is?
It is interesting to see how this is happening so thanks for sharing.

Each level is 10’ x 36’. One side holds a 3rd row, crowded in there as a “grow out” row not intended for a fully mature clump.

these beds will not need major soil structure renovation ever again. But they will get occasional applications of compost, that will be every year or two if I can swing it. But they will always get wood chip mulch because I have to do that keep down weeds.


Iris are not at all picky about quality of soil, yet the better soil I give them the better they will do. They are not like lilies that require rich soil with excellent Drainage.

I am still amazed at the performance of a group of lilies last year that jumped up 2 feet based on a big load of compost I gave them. This year they are back down to their usual size. Boy did they ever respond to that additional nutrition! Not all lilies show off like that with an easy dump of compost, however.

[bae]

Oh fun!

[iris lilies]

Wheelbarrow?

whannnnhhhhhh, why cant
i have a garden tractor jeppy? Whyyyyyyy?

I am old. i am weak. Cut me some slack.

[Yppej]

You obviously can because you do. But I speak up so everyone else here doesn't fail to see other alternatives.

[Alan]

I have a wheelbarrow. My special needs grandson pretends it's either a train or trolley and he's the conductor or driver. He's worn a circular dirt path in the woods behind my house as his track/route. I'm no longer allowed to use it for its intended purpose although I did have to put a new wheel on it last week, the old one was flat.

How's that for an alternative?

[Tradd]

Wow, Iris!

[Teacher Terry]

IL, you are definitely not weak if you are doing all that physical work. For a acre you need your tractor. We have a wheelbarrow because our yard is small.

[razz]

IL, just ignore the unbelievers, you do need a tractor!!! Of course, there will be extra maintenance in gas, oil changes, etc but you have an on-deck partner to handle those details. Go for it! Now is the time to do it as the prices have come down as the economy tries to recover.

[happystuff]

So much work but soooo beautiful!!!

[nswef]

Yes, you need a tractor and the handy dandy pull behind cart! We use the cart for many things but the best is when we get bags of compost/mulch/stone- goes in the truck, use a ramp to tumble it into the red cart and drive to the flower bed, tumble it into the bed, then I can go around and cut the bags and spread them. Saves aches, pains and falling. We're 71 and used to lift them and put them in the wheelbarrow. No more!!My husband can mow our 3/4 to 1 acre yard in under 3 hours. I LOVE John Deere! And the husband!

[Tybee]

We have a Husqvarna, tack sa mycket!

[iris lilies]

It IS a handy cart! For sure.

[iris lilies]

Here’s an update to soil amendment with Turface:

So worth all that effort! The beds are easy to weed with this aerated soil, and weeds just pop right out. There was no squishy sinking ankle deep into the clay soil with this amendment. The plants are of course very happy because they respond to better quality soil even though iris plants will grow anywhere.

[nswef]

Congratulations and enjoy the results of your labor. It will last for many seasons.