Cult- deep planting (was Cold Climate planting)

I used to plant fairly deep in Colorado and snubbed advice to put the
rhizomes at the surface.  I usually put them about an inch under, sometimes
a bit more, sometimes less.  I never lost any bearded Iris that way -
there.  I was convinced that they established and grew more quickly that
way, and used to actually advise people to try it that way.  I did it in
sand, clay, lime soil, granite soil, didn't really make much difference.
When I came to NM I did the same, but found that some rotted in my hot sand
in summer, a few in winter.  I haven't really tried it on purpose in my
newer location in granite/clay, but most of the few that have been buried
deep by accident have been fine (At least one mature clump that rotted when
buried by about an inch of dirt though).

Here I've been having best luck exposing the "backs" and then shading them
with dry vegetation (that keeps them cooler, and helps prevent burn, but
lets them dry out fast).  I've been toying with going deep again though.

I'm curious if any others have experience planting deep in hot summer
climates, and if there are opinions on weather surface planting (more
sunburn, dry out faster, hotter), or deeper (more even moisture, cooler,
but base of fans stay wet longer) is better to help in avoiding rot during
the heat of summer?

I don't know how many have noticed, but bearded Iris often dive deeper on
their own for the first few seasons after planting.  They often don't show
up at the surface (except the base of the fans) till they start to pile on
top of one another in crowded clumps.  By then they are so well
established, and shading themselves well enough, that it doesn't seem to
matter much how deep they are (the ones on the bottom of the pile are
sometimes four or five inches down!)  Perhaps deep is more natural than we
tend to admit?

Dave

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