Re: cult:Cutting Fans /Yellow leaves


John I Jones wrote:
> 
> 
> When Margaret asked about trimming back the fans, I assumed she was
> referring to the practice of cutting back the fans of an iris *in place
> in the garden* not one that had been dug up, divided and replanted.
> 
> There will probably be a lot more controversy about the practice of
> trimming back the fan of an iris that has just been divided than wacking
> back fans of irises left in place.
> 
> As I understand it, the practice of trimming the roots and fan of a
> newly divided iris is basically to make them easier for the large
> suppliers to handle and ship. I don't believe that "cutting back the fan
> to give the roots more energy" has any validity. In fact, I think the
> opposite (or maybe it is the converse) is true - that leaving as much of
> the fan intact as possible is better for the plant because there is more
> surface area for photosynthesis and thus more energy for the plant.
> 
> I know a lot of people are going to leap all over me for such heresy....

Let me be one of the first. The reason I have heard is that the 
surface area of the leaves needs to be reduced because the new 
roots cannot supply enough water for the original fan. It makes 
sense, but I have no proof. A double-blind test might be tough 
to set up.

Have you actually had leaves that looked even semi-decent two months 
after being transplanted whole (with a delay of more than just a 
couple days from digging)?

Gerry, eager to be proven wrong
-- 
gcsnyd@loop.com    AIS Region 15
Warm, winterless Los Angeles
President of San Fernando Valley Iris Society
My work?  Helping generate data for http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo



Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index