I got a bunch of coneflowers and blackeyed susans from a craigslist lady who bought a house with a garden but didnt want to maintain it. I think I may have gotten one white coneflower, but its hard to tell since they were all faded.

:)

There certainly are plenty of opportunities for stuff out there, the price of gas tho, makes me rethink everything, which is prolly good cuz I think I have some compulsive tendencies.....

yeah, I didn't use to be as picky but I am moreso now. Sometimes people will meet you halfway if they'll traveling your way for some reason. I really love freecycle. I've gotten and given away alot of stuff!

I use it.I give plants in exchange for help weeding.Its works out really well and I plan to do it next year also.

I just picked up on Wednesday FIVE grocery bags of iris.
My goodness...what are you going to do with all those? Are you familiar with the spacing on iris so they are not crowded after just a season or two?

Debbie...what a great plan.

Doris...I can relate to those compulsive tendencies...thank goodness there aren't plants offered in my area, though I have 'thought' of maybe posting some, looking to try and encourage others to post too, and maybe meeting some local gardener/traders.

well okay Sue, there were just a taddd more than I thought! I'm giving a bag to one of my neighbors...I'll be sending some in an exchange and I have a very big area that will handle the rest....hopefully..."crossing fingers"

lucky linda!! i peek in there now n then.

Taken from the FAQ at the iris Forum...If you have the room, plant your rzs about 2' apart with no other plants nearby to overgrow them and compete for soil nutrients. You can also plant 3 separate rhizomes in a triangle 1' apart with the leaf fans facing outwards to produce an instant clump effect.

well okay Sue, there were just a taddd more than I thought!
A tad??? LMAO!

welll..I do have a bank that I can put them on and maybe sneak them into my neighbor's garden.."G"

If you happen to run out of prepared space, just lay em on the ground. Years ago I lifted 2 clumps and set them aside in the grass...weell guess what...one of them is still there. I'm gonna go dig em and have already commited to sending them out for postage. I'll keep one rhizome of that variety. One's enough when you've somehow managed to accumulate bookoo varieties in just a little over one year of collecting.

Sue...who admits to being an iris addict

2 FEET!! Iris grow that fast?!? Boy am I gonna be in trouble! Some of mine are only about 8" apart.....

2 FEET!! Iris grow that fast?!? Boy am I gonna be in trouble! Some of mine are only about 8" apart.....
I think that might be more for a collector that is growing named varieties, and wanting to be sure and keep them separated. I know lots of folks can't trade their irises until after they bloom because they have grown together, and without being in bloom they don't know which is which.

I'd say if you don't dig and reset them next season after they bloom, that they will for sure be quite crowded in 2010...just so ya know. It never hurts to check out the specialty forums when planting something new (to you).

Here is another tidbit I learned this season. Think of the iris rhizome as a foot and leg. The 'toe' end will grow no longer. It will grow back from the heel end. I placed the heel end facing the outside edge of a bed, and now they are growing out of it....sigh...did not even think to ask about it.

Sue

Thanks Sue for the uplifting info! Now that I know they are too close AND going to grow into the dog kennel, I guess I will be moving them next year! LOL
Vic

"coughing"..I gave away two bags after reading what Sue wrote..."G"

so.....would that be "recycling from freecycle"??? LOL
I wonder what the woman was thinking when you happily took ALL of the iris : )

she had more that I did refrain from taking..."scuffing foot"...I did take some peppermint that she offered too though.