Mary Ann, Glad to here about the iris that its coming back.

Thanks Rich. Yes Teresa -- they're early this year. Usually don't have blooms until May..............

Oh, I hear that snap and my heart sinks. Even if it's one that has tons of blooms, each loss is felt.

On another note, I was making room for another plant earlier last month and stuck the shovel under a 'daylily' of which I had more. Rain was threatening and I was in a hurry. I don't have them marked as there aren't many there and I know what they are. As I got it part way up, I realized it was Fangnificent! I said what Gabe said, lowered it back in and dug the right one.

Yikes Celia!!! Hope "F" doesn't mind the interruption!!

It seems to be fine. It increased some and they look okay, too.

What is going on with iris this year. I had another bloom stalk break off (White Hot) and something broke off and ate the bud on Protocol. And a bud was broken off of This And That. Things are snapping without my interference!

Same here, Leslie. I have been waking up to find otherwise healthy stalks broken and the blooms or buds hanging down. It has been misty and they are heavy with rain but we have had no wind so ???

Me too. I think my cats might be responsible for some. And/or raccoons. Like that............

The stalk breakage is random. I would think a raccoon would leave a path in the garden. They get so huge here! More like little bear cubs than the cute little guys we had up in Michigan.

Can you borrow a "game camera" from someone.....get a picture of whatever critter (if it IS a critter!) that's doing the damage ?

Sometimes bugs can chew a stalk all the way through overnight. At my house, not sure if it's the earwigs or what, but it seems to help to clear away all debris and plants growing too close. I've also had opossums do a lot of damage occasionally. This past winter a possum dug up Navajo Jewel -- just planted previous fall -- leaving the rhizome upsidedown and little rooties torn all over. He didn't like the taste and just left it there. I didn't happen to check that part of the garden about 3 days later. I felt like a terrible, neglectful parent when I saw it. Quickly replanted NJ. Took it a while to catch up to the other fall-planted irises, but eventually it did.

I still would like to know - what is the best way to get rid of earwigs? The south is full of them.

I can't help but laugh when I hear earwigs! I see some guy with long hairs coming out of his ears. Makes me think of that every time. Sorry Leslie! Never heard of an earwig before now.

They are ugly little things Jen. i like your description much better than reality!

We get some in our curbside mailbox for some reason.

Sorry Leslie -- we don't have those, so can't help you. But SSSSSHHHHHHHH -- don't let the Universe know that we don't have that problem -- I'm sure it will solve that issue quickly...................

The chickens we had years ago loved them, but then they create another problem.

Boxergirl said: I can't help but laugh when I hear earwigs! I see some guy with long hairs coming out of his ears. Makes me think of that every time. Sorry Leslie! Never heard of an earwig before now.

I resemble that remark !

I see them here on and off, usually eating on the apples, or in the mail box. I've never noticed them on the irises though. I sure hope they don't find them!

They get down in the fold of the leaves where the bloom stalk comes out. Occasionally I see them at the bottom of the leaf when I pull off dead fan leaves too. I don't know that they cause any damage, it is just that there are a lot of them around. They like wet and humid conditions it appears.