It's my belief that chemicals that kill are not going to be beneficial for the iris. Since you are a "vegan" girl, I feel you probably believe in living "healthy" - stay away from those chemicals. I have 20 beds, probably 2000 iris, and the grass is a challenge. I spend a lot of hours out there on my knees, but that is good for the body as well as the soul.

Thanks for replying. Yes, you are right about my belief, but I am really discouraged about growing irises. I weed but the weeds just come right back. I grow and sell daylilies and most of my time and energy is taken up with weeding those. I might just have to give up on the irises :-)

Do you have any thoughts on my other two questions?

Thanks,
VG

I am new to iris gardening too but I guess that I am going to skip the mulch though I have a big weed problem also. What I found is that I can weed much more quickly if I just pull out the big ones, roots-and-all, and settle for a less than perfect job by using a hoe to dislodge the rest.

I say less than perfect because obviously I'm not getting the roots with the hoe. But, if I keep up with this and get to the weeds before they go to seed, I'm hoping that eventually those weed roots will run out of energy and die. (Or is it me who will run out of energy and.....)

On a side note, I've found that if you go into a store and ask for a hoe, in addition to the laughing and strange looks you might get, they'll just say, "huh?" I guess it's called a cultivator nowadays because of the fact that respectable people don't want to ask for a "ho(e)".

P.S. If you have a problem with purslane and/or spotted spurge, you will have to use round-up or pull them all out roots and all or all the little pieces will form separate plants (!)

Seagreen turtle
My worst enemy is Johonson grass which also makes a new plant from every tiny piece. If I could just get rid of that, I think I could handle the other weeds.

I'll remember to ask for a cultivator!:-) Actually we have hoes here so I won't have to ask any time soon:-)

Your other two questions. My iris are all in beds defined by landscape timbers and raised about 3 inches. I only lift the rhizomes when the beds become too crowded, every third or fourth year. Then I clean the beds, add dirt and nutrients. I only have iris so they don't compete with other perennials. You can see pictures at www.mountaintopiris.com.

Marvine,
I tried the url but it said it did not exist. Is it spelled correctly?

It worked for me. Try this:

Here is a link that might be useful: home page that one is redirected when typing mountaintopiris.com

Thanks Seagreen Turtle! That worked.

Marvine, I'll enjoy looking at the iris pictures. Thank you!

Marvine, what beautiful irises you have!!! I'll bet they are something else in person!
VG

I had Johnson grass in another garden. If it's what I think it is you have an awful foe. The tenacious runners that set down strong roots at intervals .......... aughhh. I dug and dug to rid an area of it. And then had to guard it.

Soil or mulch on top of that stuff just encourages it. I would seriously consider RoundUp. And I don't know if that would kill it. I am having to use it on bindweed and it only temporarily sets it back.

iris gal, It's probably the same thing. It is horrible. I have literally dug up wheelbarrow loads of roots and within days, it's back green as ever. The irises can't compete with it. Well, not much of anything can!