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Repotting pond iris

Daryl2Daryl2 Posts: 452
in Talkback

There was some conflicting advice on GW this week. I was pleased to see Monty talking about potting up pond plants and saying that you should never use garden compost as it puts too many nutrients into the water. The next item was with a couple who have the national collection of water irises who said that irises don't like specialised pond compost and should be potted in normal garden compost. So which is right? I have a big clump of variegated iris which I was about to split and replant in pond compost. Not sure what to do now. 

What do other people use? 

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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,737

    ha ha ha. yet more factually inaccurate advice from MD. 

    Devon.
  • Daryl2Daryl2 Posts: 452

    So what soil would you recommend?

     

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,737

    I'd go with the advice from the National Collection holders, clearly they know what they're talking about. Unlike some.

    Devon.
  • Daryl2Daryl2 Posts: 452

    Are you not a fan of Monty Don then?

     

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,609

    I think we all know you dislike him by now.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    i thought they said they just used normal garden soil in their baskets not compost?

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,945

    Horses for courses. 

    MD was talking about creating a wildlife pond - the additional of nutrient-rich compost to a wildlife pond would upset the balance.

    The National Collection Holders were talking about growing show quality Japanese iris - the plants were their priority rather than the pond - they recommended using ordinary garden soil rather than specialist aquatic compost.

    You have to understand the context in which information is given image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,737

    it's the constant mistakes I don't like. 

    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,945

    I know image  but I don't necessarily see them as mistakes - I find that lots of gardening isn't black and white - MD tells us what he does and what works for him - if I have different soil and conditions etc I look at what other people say and make a choice about what I do.  If I find something that works for me I pass it on - but it might not work for you - you're in rich, fertile and dampish Devon - I'm in dry, sunny and flippin chilly at the moment East Anglia - that's what makes gardening so interesting.

    What I like about MD is that he does tend to explain why he does something, so that if my conditions are different I can ponder on whether that is going to work in the conditions here or whether I need to adapt and 'do different' (the motto of Norfolk and the UEA) image

    We'll probably never agree about MD will we?  But we're still friends image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SwissSueSwissSue Posts: 1,447

    Have you tried not watching? Could save you a bit of nerves!

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