Griff,

You are correct in both cases. However, the soil here dries out nearly instantly for the first couple of inches, so in the case of the top photo I still reset the rhizome low enough for the high increase to put out some roots. I expect the other two increases will simply emerge from being covered. It's not uncommon for ABs to put out new increase from the bottom of a rhizome. In fact I've seen stacked layers of 3-5 rhizomes coming from underneath. I don't especially like that trait, but it's very common.

I didn't really want to relocate the ones in the bottom. I tend to leave a lot space between seedlings and these still have plenty. I did use my fingers and pry out the mother rhizome and an increase that also bloomed and reset the two showing. Nothing got buried on it and the roots really weren't disturbed. I even stuck the mother rhizome and the increase down in the same area in case one or the other might decide to give a new fan :). I'm mainly worried about causing rot though that's not a major problem here. And, of course, I'm not sure what those increases will do.

Everything isn't bad in the patch. I'll post an upbeat photo on the Carefree Days seedling that did well this spring. It's growth and health are impressive this fall.

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

--- In i*@yahoogroups.com, "J. Griffin Crump" <jgcrump@...> wrote:
>
> Donald -- If the two rhizomes in the bottom photo are increases from what appears to be the old rhizome in the center, I'd divide and replant them in a level spot with the kind of soil you want. The increases on those two rhizomes are well placed for replanting with a thin covering of soil at their bases. As to the plant in the top photo, it looks like the position of the increases would necessitate robbing (in this case, burying) Peter to pay Paul, so maybe that one should be left growing as is until the increases have matured enough to be separated. -- Griff
>