In the iris beds I have examples of the effect due to freeze damage and from one due the transplanting effect. They look the same, but the dwindling center fan was showing before winter on the transplant, so I don't think they are caused by the same circumstances. The result is sure the same. But if something about the moving, relocating process is the cause some of the time, then I don't think potting in a greenhouse situation would correct it in those cases. Very well could for those caused by freeze. I think the time from digging to transplanting has an effect on seeing the main fan stall and dwindle. I've had it happen just moving things around here in the yard, but not if the move is quick. Sometimes, though, they lay out a couple of weeks or more while the planting area is being reworked or prepared. Then you're more apt to see it. But the dwindle starts before cold weather even though they may still be alive well past bloom season the next spring. It's usually not as noticeable moving a clump because you're dealing with multiple rhizomes of the same clump.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA

--- In iris-photos@yahoogroups.com, Linda Mann <lmann@...> wrote:
>
> Freeze damage combined with transplant "shock" resulting in lost bloom
> makes me wonder if there's anything we could do to lessen the likelihood
> of losing terminals?
>
> Ideas?
>
> Anybody know if keeping them in pots in a greenhouse over the winter
> would save them?
>
> So many purchased cultivars don't survive here, or are so weak they
> won't go on to bloom in the future. So if the terminal doesn't make it,
> I get nothing. I don't mind buying some of the slightly older, less
> expensive ones as if they are annuals, but not if I don't get bloom that
> first year.
>
> > Yeah, it's a bit of bummer not having stalks up that I had planned to make crosses with. but if that's the worse thing that happens this year, I won't complain.
> >
> > Billy
>
> Linda Mann east TN USA zone 7
>