Snakes and Stones

[Bogertophis]

Wow, you've got some great irises to go with your terrific snakes! I only have about 7 or 8 kinds of irises- but I sure like them, they put on a great show every year. Never seen an orange one like that above. I have the most in solid deep purple, & next is 2 tone purple. The rest are white, pale lavender, cream, yellow, & yellow with rust. I'll have lots of daylillies very soon too- most are the orange kind, but a few yellow (Stella d'Oro) ones too. And it won't be long before I have some tomatoes- I have quite a few green ones right now, some are several inches across already.

[Lord Sorril]

Wow, you've got some great irises to go with your terrific snakes! I only have about 7 or 8 kinds of irises- but I sure like them, they put on a great show every year. Never seen an orange one like that above. I have the most in solid deep purple, & next is 2 tone purple. The rest are white, pale lavender, cream, yellow, & yellow with rust. I'll have lots of daylillies very soon too- most are the orange kind, but a few yellow (Stella d'Oro) ones too. And it won't be long before I have some tomatoes- I have quite a few green ones right now, some are several inches across already.

Thanks!

When I first moved into my house the property had been overgrown for several years. When I started tear out all the bittersweet and small trees I found my first irises that the former owners had planted. They were the purple 'normal' coloration. I was impressed that the irises were able to survive in conditions that would have killed most flowers. I ended up propagating them through division, and when I reached ~100 plants I decided to purchase some different varieties. Some I bought from local greenhouses and garden club events in my neighborhood, but the majority I ordered from Blue J Iris online. Blue J Iris was originally located in a different state and moved to New Mexico. Before their move they had a huge sale where if you spent $400 or more then you would get 80% off and an extra $100 in irises (back then: they were already cheap)-seemed to me like the cost was practically free above $400. I couldn't pass that deal up. I think it took them 2 weeks of their spare time to compile a spreadsheet on my order...and upon delivery it took me two solid days to plant all the new arrivals. 90% of the varieties survived the New England weather.

I have some interesting varieties of daylily as well (ordered online), but their health depends greatly upon the weather conditions in my area.

Fun fact: One of my neighbors thought that I bought all of my iris plants. She did not know that you can divide them to increase their number. Imagine the cost of buying 6000 irises....lololol I'm not made out of money!

[Bogertophis]

You got a great deal on your irises, but that was a LOT of work too.

What I love about irises- besides their beauty & independent return year after year, is that they tolerate terrible soil & neglect- My deep purple ones had originally been planted in the side yard here by a former owner, but it was too shady & very few bloomed for years, until I moved them into my front yard along the driveway, where they get lots of sun & bloom like crazy. The soil is poor & rocky too but they don't care one bit.

It worked out great because my deep purple ones all bloom early, then I get a second wave of irises when all the other colors chime in. Some of my irises were in a big box of unknown rejects that someone cleared from their garden...freebies, so I had no idea what colors I was planting when I put them in. I'm in the mid-south btw, so the daylillies like the climate here better.

[Lord Sorril]

You got a great deal on your irises, but that was a LOT of work too.

What I love about irises- besides their beauty & independent return year after year, is that they tolerate terrible soil & neglect- My deep purple ones had originally been planted in the side yard here by a former owner, but it was too shady & very few bloomed for years, until I moved them into my front yard along the driveway, where they get lots of sun & bloom like crazy. The soil is poor & rocky too but they don't care one bit.

It worked out great because my deep purple ones all bloom early, then I get a second wave of irises when all the other colors chime in. Some of my irises were in a big box of unknown rejects that someone cleared from their garden...freebies, so I had no idea what colors I was planting when I put them in. I'm in the mid-south btw, so the daylillies like the climate here better.

I wish planting them was the hardest thing to do, but keeping the weeds off thousands of plants-it is like farming flowers... I have recently adopted a targeted herbicide (Hi-Yield Grass-Killer-Sethoxydim 18.0%) to cut down on any grass that tries to grow through the center of the rhizomes. The herbicide kills the grass over the course of several weeks, and seems to have done a great job this year without harming my flowers. Someone mentioned online that the herbicide will kill ground phlox, but I tested it on mine: and it did not.

I also have a sand pit on my property which I call 'The Dead Zone'. I have tried to grow all sorts of plants unsuccessfully, and irises are the only plants that thrive there...

Fun fact: Irises, Asparagus, and Orchids are all in the same taxonomic Order: Asparagales. Irises are more closely related to Asparagus than they are Orchids though.

In other news: I was collecting a clutch of eggs today and there was one 'rollout' (far right in the photo below). It felt a little different than the others. Normally I just keep metrics on my overall viability of eggs for the season, however I think I will start tracking the success rate of rollout eggs as well. Based on my prior experience I think there is a strong correlation between 'rollouts' and low viability. I don't candle any of my eggs because I'm going to incubate them regardless.

[Lord Sorril]

A few more flowers:







Breeders Note: I have six clutches of eggs so far...usually I only collect one or two in May. I'm not sure if six clutches before June is sign of good fortune or just unseasonable warmth. Nearly all of my remaining breeder females are still eating-so I can expect at least a 30 day gap before I find any additional clutches.

[Lord Sorril]

Disinfecting/Sterilizing my egg bins used to be so easy when I had 3 or 4. When I have 30+, it takes a while...

(10% Bleach:90% Water)

I was originally using a 70% IPA wipedown, and then I tried a chlorhexidine dip, but I've gone nuclear in recent years by using a bleach soak (goodbye spores).
I smell like bleach now though. Luckily this is a once a year event.
My gf said that I shouldn't bother because I am using Perlite in my egg bins, but I'm fairly certain that a fresh bag of heat-treated volcanic glass is going to be relatively 'clean'.

[Lord Sorril]

I was expecting this photo to be a bit more proportionate...this guy is growing fast...

Stones are Brazilian Agate and Pink Chert (Connecticut river, MA, USA).