Today, I planted the iris that I got from Toni. It went okay. I only had to dig out a few clumps of grass. I dug a triangle in the corner of the back yard in front of some climbing rose bushes. dr put a fence in front of them so Chance won't dig them up, but she was more likely just to run them over. Yesterday when we were at Home Depot they had bulbs for half price. Since we live here in Texas you can plant bulbs from Oct thru Dec. So, I bought purple iris (60), King Alfred daffodils (40), and freesia (60). I went to the front yard to plant them. Before they cleared enough space to move the mobile home here it was all scrubby brush and trees. It took me more than an hour to dig enough space for the iris and about half of the daffodils. So, tomorrow I will try again to get the rest of them planted. I did dig and pull out a lot of roots. I think raised beds are a great idea. dooley
I planted the Iris bulbs Toni sent me yesterday. I dug a rectangle in the front yard and stuck them in there. I have the same problem with my dog running over my plants too. She doesn't do a lot of digging though. I can't wait until spring to see what they look like. I think the raised beds would be a good idea. At least they would save you from digging through all those roots. Plus there are endless design options.
Congrats Dooley with your plantings...I hope that you don't get what I did--I planted my iris tubers a few weeks ago. In spite of the cold, rain, freezing and snow--those crazy things have sprouted and there is now a long row of green shoots sticking up. Too crazy. Who'dve thought! You got some good bulbs though--especially the Friesias, I like those very much. The daffs too ought to be nice. You really must take some piccies once they bloom, OKÉ?
Ooh Lovely I agree with Sjoerd here and hope that your bulb venture is successful. It would be nice to see some Freezias and Irises and Daffies in bloom. My Gladioli, Freezias and Daffies came to naught this year thanks to the builders. I would love to see yours in bloom.
Good Luck with the bulbs Dooley. I had the King Alfred's last spring, they were so pretty. I don't expect them to come back next spring. I was going to move some this fall and I found nothing but yellowish clumps of matter where the bulbs had been. I planted Freesia last fall, the package said for fall planting and they rotted in the ground because of the wet winter. I bought another package in the spring that said for spring planting and they did just fine. So why, when they were the same species, did the packages have different planting times on them? Mine have started sending up shoots again this fall, so we will see if they make it thru the winter. Sjoerd, the Iris I sent Dooley and FlowerFreak always send up shoots in October. They grow all winter, even last year in the ice and snow, then fill out and bloom like crazy in early Spring...that's usually in March here. First time they started coming up in October I really didn't expect them to make it thru the winter but they do every year no matter what the weather is like.
Oh I'm turning green here with envy. I'd love to be out planting bulbs but would have to tunnel through the snow which, sadly, isn't an option. I hope all those iris, freesia and daffs grow well for you Dooley. :-D
I, too, am envious! A friend has offered to share her beautiful blue iris with me, but the ground is so hard we are going to damage them in the digging. We are waiting (and waiting) for rain to soften the soil so I can get some rhizomes. Our window of opportunity extends to the end of this month. If it doesn't rain soon, I'm going to take two 5 gallon buckets of water over to her place and flood the iris bed!
Thanks for your comments,Toni--It gives me a glimmer of hope, although you and I live in quite different climatic zones. Those bulbs that I got were free and there were so many. I didn't know what to do with them, so i planted them along the front fence. Fingers crossed. Dumb ole me forgot to look at them today when I went to the lottie to feed the birdies and look over my fields. Any way, I just wanted to thank you for your comments.
Ah, to be able to plant! Lucky you, Dooley. And freesias too! I do like freesias as a cut flower. They have a lovely scent and are long-lasting.
Daffidols are my favorite spring flower. When we lived in Wisconsin the first ones would come into the stores and I'd buy a bunch for the kitchen table. It was a sign that spring was coming any time. Not always in Wisconsin, but somewhere close. dooley
