Re: RE:CULT potting new arrivals

I never potted an Iris until a few years ago.  I am finding that for me, as
mentioned for others, it is a good way to get them through the heat of
summer when they first arrive.  For me (nearly all years) from late May to
late August are the very worst time of the year to plant any kind of Iris,
or at least any kind that does well here in New Mexico (except bulbs
perhaps, which don't seem to care when you plant them).  During this time
it is hot (nearly every day is well over 90F), and it is always intensely
sunny.  The fans burn and the base of the fans tend to rot, with this
spreading into the rhizomes quickly.  This is especially true if you water
overhead (which I do some of my beds). This does not happen to most, but it
happens to a high enough percentage to be very frustrating.  It is
especially bad in the diploids.  I am finding that if I pot them and supply
some shade, they do much better, and then I can set them out in September
or October when they want to be growing.  For me the best time to dig,
divide, transplant, or plant new Iris is in spring right after flowering
(April and early May) or in the fall.  I prefer spring, but Iris never come
in the mail in the spring!  I have even had good luck planting in mid
winter, but that is perhaps not be recommended for anywhere colder than
here.

This summer has been better than average for gardening.  May and June were
hot and dry as usual, but July seemed a bit cooler than it should, with a
little more rain.  However, It has been unusually cool through August, with
only a few days over 90F, totally unheard of, although most days have still
up been in the high 80's; plus, rain about twice per week (it's actually
green out there, well fairly green anyway).  It rained again last night at
my house.  It's felt kind'a like being up in the mountains in Colorado this
summer.

So far, I've only had one new Iris rot this year, a diploid MTB, and half
the rhizome is still good.  However, a few well established clumps of
various 44x  I. germanica and a nice clump of 'Odoratissima' rotted out
completely in June as soon as they quit growing.  Luckily most are easily
replaced.


Dave

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