The Garden in Spring....Iris is in Full Swing...Thank you Mulch!

The weather has finally leveled out and everything is popping. The perennials have come up strong and beautiful considering the wicked winter we had here this winter. Obviously they survived in a lot better condition that I have, such is life.

Mr generously applied wood chip mulch to all the gardens to enrich the soil, but mostly to hold down weeds. We have been doing this for about four years and miraculous is the only word that could do the situation any justice. This garden was sand. A sand pit would probably be a better description of the condition of the soil. Whether you sunk a trowel in the garden bed, or the grass, all you were coming up with is sand. As a result of the horrendous growing condition, nothing grew. One or two plants subsisted, just like some of the local citizens. There were plenty of Iris plants on the property. They seemed to be hanging in there, though blooming seemed to be out of their capabilities.  Four years of mulch

application have changed the scene remarkably. We now have several large beds of nicely flowering Iris plants that came to life with the humus of the compost, and the moisture the compost held on the bed. Four years later, several additonal colors of Iris have emerged. It took them longer to recover. Today a very beautiful white iris with purple ruffled edges bloomed. It is a very pleasant surprise.  We also have a yellow Iris that has emerged. I believe it is a wild variety, I am thinking it was hidden underground and was disturbed when I was replanting something or other. No matter the circumstances, I embrace all bloomers. The Siberian Iris have also come into flower and are making a spectacular showing. This year a white variety of Siberian has also appeared unannounced and much appreciated.

Just for the record. We used normal everyday hardwood chips purchased locally. We have a little trailor, get it filled with a couple of yards of hardwood chips...and then proceed to apply them to the garden beds...NO fabric liner. Every year we add on another layer and voila! Four year in we have something we didn't have when we moved here...worms. Worms are the holy grail of the home garden. Worm casting being one of the richest elements for improving the quality of your soil.  All of this is just a little miracle to me. No rototiller, no huge does of insecticides, no bags of bark chips,just ground up yard waste wood chips.....it works like magic.

I will add a few more tips. The little trailer can be pulled around the yard by our car. That lets us unload the mulch at the spots it is needed. It eliminates the need for us to move the mulch to a wheelbarrow to apply it. When applying the mulch it should be six inches deep to prevent weeds. The 6" depth is important or you will not get the result you want...less weeding work. If you are ok with some chemical application in the garden, Preen sprinkled all over the mulch will keep the weeds down even more than mulch alone. Perennials will come up through the mulch, so don't worry about it too much. It should all work out to your advantage.