Sweet Flag

Karen Mullen wrote:

I bot sweet flag for the first time and was wondering... it needs replanting,
should I do it now before winter or wait til spring. Also, should it be cut
down to the soil when cold sets in or leave it's stalk after they've died until
new growth appears in spring. And does the same apply to water iris.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH

We're in a slightly warmer zone (USDA Zone 7) so our experience with
these plants may not be the same. Our sweet flag doesn't die back in the
winter, even when we've had snow and ice. If I want to divide it, I cut
it with a sharp knife or shovel into 3-4 pieces and repot in early
spring. At the same time, I cut last year's foliage back. When I don't,
it tends to get ragged and sometimes borers (plant pest) overwinter in
the old foliage. (By the way, green lacewings are great natural predator
for borers, spit bugs, aphids and soft scale.)

The water iris dies back in the fall. I pull off or cut the old foliage.
This I also divide in the spring; just remove old rhizomes and replant
4-5 new sections per 5 gallon pot.

I plant all our pond plants in lava rock or river rock that is 1-3
inches diameter, then top with 3-6 inch rocks to keep the koi out of the
pot (they'll suck out the 1-3 inch rocks and empty a pot within a few
days!!)
--
Zk (sig compliments of BV)
3500gal pond, 13 pond piggies
Oregon, USDA Zone 7

In article , zookeeper
writes:

Our sweet flag doesn't die back in the
winter, even when we've had snow and ice.

I wonder, if I cut it back would it drown? the reason I'm asking, I didn't cut
back my golden rush over last winter and when the pond froze, the dogs "found"
new territory and peed on the dead rush. I was afraid I'd loose my fish to
ammonia come spring but it didn't happen - thank goodness.

thanks for the info, I'll wait til spring to repot.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

Karen Mullen wrote:
zookeeper
writes:

Our sweet flag doesn't die back in the
winter, even when we've had snow and ice.

I wonder, if I cut it back would it drown? ...

Maybe check with a local ponder or nursery that sells pond plants? If I
run across any info, I let you know.
--
Zk

No, sweet flag won't drown. I usually divide mine in spring. Sometimes it
will have a very long rhizome coming out of the basket with just growth at
the end. I'll repot the growth and cut the rhizome up and float in my patio
pond and the sections will soon sprout new growth. ~ jan

I wonder, if I cut it back would it drown? the reason I'm asking, I didn't cut
back my golden rush over last winter and when the pond froze, the dogs "found"
new territory and peed on the dead rush. I was afraid I'd loose my fish to
ammonia come spring but it didn't happen - thank goodness.

thanks for the info, I'll wait til spring to repot.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention






See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

In article m, ~ jan
JJsPond.us writes:

No, sweet flag won't drown.

Thanks Jan, that was a big concern. My dogs take anything standing as an
unmarked area and when the pond ices over they are all over this new territory.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention