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Old 22-04-2003, 11:32 PM
BillC
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(

Hi all, this is my first year planting bulbs. I'm West Michigan.

I ordered and received 20 reblooming irises from Michigan Bulb. Now, I
know they are known for shipping poor product, but when the iris bulbs
came, they looked very healthy. No mold, no discoloration or rot, they
were large, firm (not soggy), and had good color.

I read practically everything there is to know about planting irises
and I'm sure I planted them right. I used outdoor flower and bulb
planting soil, and made sure the rhizomes were firmly placed (but not
too tight) with just the top of the rhizomes sticking out of the
ground. I planted in mid October 2002.

It is now 04/22/03. Most all of the area Daffodils have bloomed,
including mine. I also planted 18 Giant Alliums from Michigan bulb,
and I'm glad to say all but one has started growing, they already have
bases with thick foliage.

But, of the 20 irises I planted, only one has green leaves starting to
grow out of the top. The other 19 still look completely dead... just
the brown dried out leaves on top from when I planted them.

Do these irises start growing later on, or should I chalk these ones
up as being duds?

Anyone know a good place to get reblooming irises online that will
actually grow?
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Old 23-04-2003, 03:32 AM
Scott
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(


I have had great luck with irises from Schreiners Gardens and with
Argyle Acres. I only have one rebloomer and the wind took down its
first bloom stalk today . But when I planted it last August, it put up
green leaves immediately.

Schreiners is at www.schreinersgardens.com and Argyle Acres is
www.argyleacres.com

--SCott


BillC wrote:
Hi all, this is my first year planting bulbs. I'm West Michigan.

I ordered and received 20 reblooming irises from Michigan Bulb. Now, I
know they are known for shipping poor product, but when the iris bulbs
came, they looked very healthy. No mold, no discoloration or rot, they
were large, firm (not soggy), and had good color.

I read practically everything there is to know about planting irises
and I'm sure I planted them right. I used outdoor flower and bulb
planting soil, and made sure the rhizomes were firmly placed (but not
too tight) with just the top of the rhizomes sticking out of the
ground. I planted in mid October 2002.

It is now 04/22/03. Most all of the area Daffodils have bloomed,
including mine. I also planted 18 Giant Alliums from Michigan bulb,
and I'm glad to say all but one has started growing, they already have
bases with thick foliage.

But, of the 20 irises I planted, only one has green leaves starting to
grow out of the top. The other 19 still look completely dead... just
the brown dried out leaves on top from when I planted them.

Do these irises start growing later on, or should I chalk these ones
up as being duds?

Anyone know a good place to get reblooming irises online that will
actually grow?


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Old 23-04-2003, 02:08 PM
Tsu Dho Nimh
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(

BillC wrote:

I'm West Michigan.


I planted in mid October 2002.


Too late ... planted way too late for irises in such a cold
climate. They need several warm months to get established before
winter hits.

But, of the 20 irises I planted, only one has green leaves starting to
grow out of the top. The other 19 still look completely dead... just
the brown dried out leaves on top from when I planted them.


Do these irises start growing later on, or should I chalk these ones
up as being duds?


Give them a couple of months, but they are probably dead.

Anyone know a good place to get reblooming irises online that will
actually grow?


Getting them from a local grower, whose varieties are proven to
thrive in your climate,is a better idea.

Tsu

--
To doubt everything or to believe everything
are two equally convenient solutions; both
dispense with the necessity of reflection.
- Jules Henri Poincaré
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Old 23-04-2003, 02:56 PM
Frogleg
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:27:02 -0400, BillC
wrote:

Hi all, this is my first year planting bulbs. I'm West Michigan.

I ordered and received 20 reblooming irises from Michigan Bulb. Now, I
know they are known for shipping poor product, but when the iris bulbs
came, they looked very healthy. No mold, no discoloration or rot, they
were large, firm (not soggy), and had good color.

snip details

Iris bloom later than things like daffodils. However, the description
of dead, brown foliage is ominous. In a much milder climate (SE
Virginia) Iris leaves are always green. Iris grows not from bulbs, but
from rhizomes -- sort of knobby thick roots. Who knows what Michigan
Bulb might have promoted. as "iris". It appears as if you planted
correctly for iris, but not for whatever Michigan Bulb shipped you.
Live and learn. Don't ever order from that company. People who have
real iris growing are often (always?) looking for someone to give the
multiplying plants/rhizomes to. Iris 'rebloom' for decades.
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Old 24-04-2003, 12:08 AM
BillC
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(

Thanks for the information. I researched everything about HOW to plant
the Irises, but not WHEN. I just planted them when they arrived from
Michigan Bulb, those idiots didn't send them for the right planting
time.

I dug up the rhizomes and sure enough they are totally dead.

I placed an order from www.schreinersgardens.com for 20 yellow and
purple reblooming Irises. At least they seem to be aware of the proper
planting times and will ship them properly. Hopefully I'll have Irises
next year!

Yes the wind is horrible, ruins the hell out of a lot of hard work.

Of my other bulbs, I planted

- 18 Giant Alliums from Michigan bulb, of those, 17 grew.

- 27 Amore Daffodils from Michigan bulb, of those, 24 grew.

- 15 Decoy Daffodils from Breck's. Of those, 11 grew.

Hopefully I'll be able to order the same kind of bulbs to re-plant for
next year!


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Old 26-04-2003, 10:20 PM
BillC
 
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Default Reblooming Irises have not started to grow - are they dead? :(

From what I've now read, this isn't the case for German Irises. The
rhizomes I dug up had TOTALLY turned to mush. These things were deader
then dirt.. literally.. I actually had trouble finding some of the
rhizomes as they had actually decomposed back into dirt!

Other bulbs (Daffodils, for example), you CAN plant as late as
December.


(Marley1372) came out of the closet to say:

dude. Its michigan. Relax. Im in detroit and nothing is happening with any
plants here either. As far as them "not having enough warm months", blah blah
blah..... Ive planted bulbs in mid december here in michigan that were fine the
next spring. Bulbs have everything they need inside them to bloom. They will
actually start growing in the store if left there long enough.

paitence young grasshopper...

Toad


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