Did I say Soon? Oops, crazy busy here!

The iris are just about all finished blooming. Only a handful of late bloomers still open. :(   It was soooo hot and bone dry, they were only lasting a day at best. Some new buds weren't even opening.  We did finally get some rain, (and big wind) and then a little more rain. So they are much happier now.  Here are a few pics from the gardens final show...

May 21 0102   

My last picture of Happy and GoLucky together Before the big storm. Happy is still smiling,but he misses his buddy!

I've started my listings on ebay, hesitantly, with their crazy array of rules (like don't communicate with customers..... huh???) and the forever rising hideous fees. (I still can't believe charging 10% fee on shipping can be legal).
  You can find me there at sunshineannie gardens.

I'd rather you came to my web page www.sunshineannie.com , any order over $35 is 10% off with coupon LIKE10.  We still have to try out the new square credit card reader in Dave's phone. The first one wouldn't read the cards. When it's up and running I will add cc payment to my web site without paypal. Seems many people don't like to use Paypal, and I want to give the option.
 Shipping on my website is figured by average weight, not by each extra iris like I have to do on ebay. So it generally comes out very close to actual. Of course, iris rhizomes naturally vary in size from very small to huge so even weight is hard to figure. I have one color that constantly gives me 15 oz rhizomes! That is big!

Speaking of rhizome size, that is a topic many new growers don't understand. There are some big iris growers that stuff their iris with fertilizer and water to plump them up. You can do a search for iris care, and find they will all say "don't over feed or you will get big plants with leaves,but no blooms!".  I've purchased many in past  years from them myself. But I stopped because I had MORE rot with those than any others. And more overwinter losses.
 Bigger isn't healthier, nor will it guarantee blooms.Or bigger blooms. The bloom size is not determined by the rhizome size. What you need to look for is healthy color, green leaves and  fresh roots. I ship mine within 2 days of digging. When you get them , plant them right away and they will take right back off growing. Others that have the roots all dried up and even gone have to start over. Using up precious time to settle in deep roots before winter.

I raise Monarchs in the summer also, and currently have about 60 chrysalis and as many more catapillars to feed! They eat like pigs! But it is sooo fun to release the butterfly, and know I'm helping keep them here for us to enjoy. I'll get some pics of the hatchery for my next post. Sooner hopefully!

Back to my listings, it takes sooooo long. I'm up to the T's,  and then I have all the new ones to do after I go through A-Z. Then update my web page...oh my.  And I really need to get to town, I'm out of laundry soap and that's not good when you get as dirty as I do!