Newsletter: August 2004
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN IRIS SOCIETY Inc.
South Australian Iris Society
Newsletter
Editorial
The days are warming up, the gardens are suddenly full of spring
blossom, the birds are nesting and suddenly the weeds you thought had
all been removed have shot up to hide the irises. Back to the weeding
with a vengeance!
Time too, to check the bases of the leaves for aphids. Pull away any
old leaves and expose the base to discourage the aphids.
With the new seasons catalogues due soon it is a good time to start
preparing the ground (or in some gardens looking for a vacant spot or
removing something else to make the space to prepare) for the irises you
wish to purchase this summer.
Salisbury Garden Show 9th October. Members are reminded that the club is providing a stand at the show and needs rhizomes to sell. These can either be donated to the club or sold on a commission basis. If you have any rhizomes for this they can be left with Ronda Burg, Marlene Gibson, or Betty Parsons no later than 8th October prior to the show.
Spring shows – watch the Advertiser and your local newspapers for information about shows and Open Gardens, there are lots at this time of year and all are worth a visit. If you love visiting gardens the Australian Open Gardens scheme book is now in the bookshops and is well worth purchasing just for the photos it contains.
Judging workshop: 9th and 10th October. If you have registered your interest and not paid your $10 deposit, please see Marg with payment. Don’t forget to apply for a postal vote so you don’t miss any of the workshop while stuck in a long queue waiting to vote.
Iris Society of Australia President Helen Reid has asked for input for items to be discussed at the AGM. If you have anything you think should be put on the agenda please contact Julia Jacobs as soon as possible. Helen wants to hold the AGM in November by telephone hook up so any item must be advised by the end of September. She is also asking for nominations for the positions of President, Dykes Medal Trial Garden Coordinator, Year Book Editor, and Associate Registrar.
Ronda’s supper recipe:
This delicious slice is often on the supper table after a meeting. The recipe is published following many requests.
Coffee Apple Bars with Caramel Icing
|
˝ cup sultanas 90 grams Margarine or butter 1 egg ˝ teaspoon carb soda |
1 tablespoon dry Nescafe 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ˝ cups SR flour 1 grated apple (granny smith) |
˝ cup water 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed ˝ teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup chopped nuts |
Method: Combine sultanas, water and coffee in a saucepan, bring to boil
then leave to cool. Cream Margarine, sugar and vanilla, beat in egg,
stir in flour, cinnamon and soda with half the sultana mixture then add
apple, the rest of the flour and remaining sultana mix and stir
together. Bake in a 19cm X 29cm lamington pan in a moderate oven
approximately 25 minutes.
Icing: Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 30 grams margarine or butter
and 1 tablespoon milk in a saucepan and stir constantly over heat
without boiling until smooth. Gradually stir in sifted icing sugar,
spread over slice and sprinkle with nuts. Cut into slices when cool.
I feel hungry just typing it!
South Australian Iris Society Minutes of the Meeting held on 12th August 2004
Apologies: Nell Tanner, Jenni Kempe, Graham Kuchel
Minutes July Meeting was passed as being correct. Moved - Julia Jacobs - seconded - Rhonda Burg
Correspondence:
Australian Plant Society, Enfield Horticultural Society, Salisbury Garden Club. Newsletters: WA Iris Society, Inland Region Iris Society. Email: Tom Gleeson
Show Committee Report:
The Catering
for this years Annual Show with be done by the Girl Guides, with Mrs
Betty Pedley taking charge. Due to illness within the RFDS working
committee they where unable to do the catering this year,
Judges:
Mr Ian Barry has agreed to do the judging at this years Annual Show,
with the help of some members.
Advertising:
Notices have gone in Your Garden, Gardening Australia magazines, The
Messenger Notice Board. The normal Advertiser advertisements have been
place with the Advertiser. Letter to Radio Stations has been sent.
Notices have been made to hang in different locations around North
Adelaide advertising the Show and Address. A quote for triangle type
signs that are laid on the footpaths advertising the show is being made.
Banners: The sign writing for the banners and Korflute signs have been
given to the sign writer to have the change of address and date made.
Sponsors:
Letters have gone out to many businesses seeking sponsorship.
Traders:
Letters have been sent to Impressive Irises, Yarrabee Garden and Irises,
Serendipity Irises, Beryl Roberts and Mary Corsten.
Accounts to be passed for payment:
Signs and Banners
Prize Sashes and Trophies
Advertising
Printing and Photocopying
Hall Hire
Accommodation for judge be provided plus $100.00 for travel Moved
Colleen Modra seconded Jules de Brenni carried
Moved Julia Jacobs that we have a Banner with ‘South Australian Iris
Society’ made 1.8m X 0.6m @ $209.00 seconded Colleen Modra carried
2005 report:
Proposed bus trips are to be checked. There has been feed back from 17
garden or floral art clubs so far. They are showing interest in the bus
trips with several clubs interested in having a display at the show.
John Turner has been to the Cleve Field Days on Eyre Peninsula and
reported that Impressive Irises and Iris Acres both had stands there and
both displayed a very colourful sign advertising the 2005 convention.
Julia
and Marg attended the Bridal Show at The Shores to get ideas on layout
for the show.
New Business:
It was suggested by Pat Toolan that Australian fine China in WA be
approached to created iris designs on their china. To be followed up by
2005 committee.
Save the Children Fund Shop on Goodwood Road has iris tea towels.
Show and Tell:
Pam Hilton:
A lovely blue Iris printed cotton queen size quilt set sent from Broken
Hill.
Colleen Modra:
Colleen brought back a beautiful Fresno show bag ‘California Dreaming’
from USA, along with catalogues from different Iris growers in America.
John Turner:
A pretty fine china Iris mug with beautiful Dutch Irises purchased
during John and Rosemary's visit to Darwin. Also some lovely snaps from
a garden in Brisbane with a great display of Irises. John also
interviewed Merilyn Kuchel (Australian Open Gardens Scheme coordinator)
on radio. He also reported on TBs in bloom in gardens in front of the
State Library in North Tce Adelaide, these were donated and planted by
Schmidts.
Natalie Houba:
An article in SA Life Magazine of Al Ru Farm, One Tree Hill with lots of
nice photos of the gardens there. Also a write up in Country Style
Magazine Nov 2003 on Pat Toolan and her Arils with photos of Pat and her
family.
Julia
Jacobs:
Some nice Iris mugs can be brought at the Burnside Village National
Chemist. Stem of Winterland. Tesselaars catalogue has iris this year.
Jules de Brenni:
Spoke to members on a Womans Wisdom Weekend at the Barossa Farmhouse
11th / 12th September with Sister Katiri Contact Christine de Brenni
08 8565 3210 Po Box 210 Angaston SA 5353.
Ann Head and Marg Kuchel
showed some seedlings they had bred. Marg also showed cards featuring
iris in quilling from Norfolk Island and an embossed card and envelope
sent from Naracoorte.
SOS
Has anyone a plant of Iris ensata (kaempferi) variegata (Variegated
Japanese Iris) please contact Betty on 8289 8262 as I have someone who
is looking for one thanks.
IRIS QUESTIONS ANSWERED
A panel of club members who have interest in differing areas of Iris
cultivation were asked a variety of questions by members present. The
panel members were Colleen Modra, Ann Head, Marlene Gibson, Pam Hilton,
Pat Toolan and Marg Kuchel.
Question:
Sandra Westbrook asked why her tall bearded irises did not grow. She
has heavy clay soil with some irises planted under a camphor laurel
tree. The soil was treated with gypsum and Neutrog prior to planting
and they are fed Seasol fortnightly. The plants have hardly any roots.
Answer:All
on the panel agreed that the irises were getting far too much
fertilizer. It was suggested that she move them away from the camphor
laurel into a sunnier spot and stop using Seasol. Colleen uses Rapid
Raiser once a year, Marg digs in rotted horse manure prior to planting
and nothing more. Pat uses a very small amount of blood and bone and
bulb food on her Arils which like dry soil. Sue Stribley commented that
she doesn’t give her arils any fertilizer or water.
Question:
Why do some irises send up bent stems?
Answer:
Strong wind when the stems are very soft can bend them. Another reason
is temperature fluctuations – warm weather can cause rapid soft growth
followed by a cold spell which stops growth, sometimes on one side of
the stem only causing a bend. Ronda Burg commented that she was able to
partly straighten a bent stem by rubbing it in her warm hands.
Question:
Why have only a few of the seeds germinated?
Answer:
Germination is erratic in iris, some seed can take up to 20 years to
germinate while some will germinate in about six weeks and a lot will
take about six months. The seed has a chemical inhibitor on the dried
skin which has to be washed off before it will germinate. This can be
done prior to planting by soaking in water and changing the water every
day for two weeks or by planting in pots and watering regularly until
water runs out the bottom freely. Spurias need a lot of washing to get
rid of the inhibitors.
Seed planted straight from the pod will often germinate quicker than
that allowed to dry.
Question:
What fertilizers do spurias and Dutch iris need?
Answer:
Spurias don’t need much fertilizer, Rapid Raiser is good. Dutch – Pam
uses an all purpose bulb fertilizer from Brunings every six weeks during
the growing season.
Question:
Why don’t Dutch iris flower the same time every year?
Answer:
Bulbs planted in March will bloom in August. Bulbs always flower early
the first year they are purchased as they are grown in a colder climate
than ours. The second year bloom will not be as good but they will be
better after three years when they have acclimatized. Best suppliers of
Dutch bulbs are Broersons, Van Diemans and Tesselaars who grow them in
their nurseries. Don’t buy from Bunnings or the supermarket as these
are probably imported from the northern hemisphere.
Question:
What is the best way to treat rhizome rot (Erwinia carotovora)?
Answer:
Soft rot is caused by high temperatures and rain in spring. Trim all
rotted material away until healthy flesh is exposed then remove at least
one inch of soil all around the rotted area. Leave exposed to the sun.
Remove and dispose of all infected material. There are several
effective methods of disinfecting:-
· Neat household bleach poured on the cut surface and the surrounding soil.
· Sulphur powder
· Aspirin – 1/8 tablet dissolved in 9-10 litres water.
· Antibacterial handwash containing triclosan 2% – neat.
· Vibrex flora – suitable for commercial growers as the smallest container costs $125.30 and is in two parts which have to be mixed separately then combined and used immediately.
All treatments must include treating the surrounding soil. Any tools used should be disinfected between plants. Thanks to Marlene for this information.
Dutch irises also get rot. Leaves come up white- remove and destroy the entire plant. If leaves come up stripy the bulb will die but the babies will be OK.
Question:
Do you peel the husk off Dutch bulbs when you lift them?
Answer:
Not necessary - Dutch bulbs can go powdery after digging so leave in the
soil as long as possible. Dutch bulbs in pots can get too hot, try
digging a hole in the soil and put the whole pot in the soil. Lift
after the tops die back and replant in the soil without the pot.
Question:
Should I. unguicularis have the leaves cut back to show blooms?
Answer:
This depends on what you like. The plants look better with the leaves
left on however some have more blooms when cut back.
Question:
A stem of Lightbeam has distinct brown plicata markings on all petals,
is this really Lightbeam?
Answer:
When this cultivar flowers in warm weather it is all yellow, cold
weather at bloom time often gives the brown plicata markings so it is
correctly named.
Question:
Bought in soil is very poor quality, how can it be improved?
Answer:
Heavy clay soil can be improved with a heavy application of gypsum and
the addition of plenty of organic matter (compost or well rotted
manure). All soil types can be improved with the addition of organic
matter but for irises this should be dug in well and kept away from the
leaves to prevent fungal spotting. It can take several years to make
the soil more friable.
SHOW SCHEDULES
The 2004 Iris Show Schedules were sent out with the last newsletter. If you did not receive one please let Marg Kuchel know on 8537 3276 or email gramark@senet.com.au.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The show committee is looking for volunteers
· to set up on Friday (10.30am – 8.30pm)
· to assist with tabling entries and/or stewarding on Saturday morning (7am – 11am)
· to sort out plants on the trading table Saturday morning prior to opening
· to man stalls and entry tables on Saturday (11am – 5pm)
· to man stalls and entry tables on Sunday (10am – 4pm)
· to pack up on Sunday (4pm until finished)
If you are able to help please contact one of the following :- Betty Parsons 8289 8262, Julia Jacobs 8339 3601, Marlene Gibson 8289 3759, Ronda Burg 8261 0482, Marg Kuchel 8537 3276, Jenny Kempe 8849 2084 and give the times you are available and the jobs you would prefer.
Your help will contribute to making it a great show.
