Something stole my iris!

[Patrushka]

I planted eight new irises on Sunday. On Monday, I noticed that something had been digging near one. Today, there was a hole next to another one. I pushed the dirt back around it and noticed the tag for 'Sable Night' but the iris was gone. It was one of my bonuses. I hope no more disappear.

Would a rabbit carry off an iris? When I was weeding out there yesterday, a rabbit took off from the other side of the bed.

[LucyGoose]

Have no idea......

[oldcoot]

Have several Open Beds, and we do have Rabbits in the area.My back yard is fenced in, but the rest of th yard is wide open space. Could it be Deer or Squirrels ?? I suggested to Lucy that she put out some moth balls with the ones I sent her. I have read somewhere that they also help prevent borers. Could it have been Voles. Don't know much about them, but SOMETHING sure ate two of my new HOSTA last spring (now replaced) .

John

[Patrushka]

I know LG. I didn't think anything bothered irises except iris borers.

OC, It very well could have been a squirrel. I saw one at the top of the hill after I found the iris missing. I ran up there to see if he had it. No such luck.

I don't think it was a deer. I've never seen one near our house. Nothing in the bed was munched on. We did have one jump our fence many years ago. Our neighbors saw it. We didn't.

It doesn't look like voles either. No tunnels or holes. We had a problem with them several years ago.

[KellieD]

Possibly mountain beaver.

[kHT]

Squirrels are known for their moving of plants in our yard so my bet is that is the one!

[Patrushka]

Kellie. Do you think it is vacationing in Indiana?

Karma, I still haven't found where it moved it to.

[KellieD]

I've watched mountain beaver carry plants down into their hole/burrow. Whether or not they are vacationing in Kentucky, I just can't say!

Good grief!! I must be tired! INDIANA, I meant Indiana!!

[Garden_of_Mu]

I've had freshly planted iris rhizomes dug up and eaten by squirrels before. They usually only take one and don't come back. Legend has it that iris rhizomes will give you a tummy ache if eaten so maybe that happens to them as well.

[oldcoot]

They leave daffodills alone. Going to plant some in a few weeks, we'll see.

John

[Garden_of_Mu]

Daffs are toxic - nobody eats them (except spider mites, oddly enough).

[Patrushka]

This is what I found when we got back from the Hallson's Hosta Happening. This one was planted just in front of the stolen iris. I'm glad the culprit decided to leave it behind.