LA: Rub a dub, dub!

At 10:33 AM 8/13/97 -0600, you wrote:
>You don't have to split La's to get fast increase.  You can dig
>them, place them in shallow tubs of water in the shade, and watch them
>have babies!
>I tubbed some when a West Coast commercial source sent me La's
>in July when the temp. was over 100.  They could not have survived out in
>the broiling sun if they had been planted.  I was amazed at the increase
>they made in the shallow tub water and without nutrients having been added
>to the water.
>Walter Moores
>Enid Lake, MS 7/8

I've started a similar practice with all newly acquired LA irises. I've
realized the great value of my trusty kiddie pools.  I pot up newly
acquired LA's in a mix of well rotted horse manure and my sandy topsoil.
(I've had no complaints yet, from my "kiddies".:)  Then I keep the water in
the bottom 2-4 inches of the pool and watch them grow like weeds. I
occasionally empty the pool of water (use the tea to fertilize other garden
plants) and refill it with fresh water.  Later when the plants seem to be
well rooted and established, I gently transplant them into the garden with
the soil ball intact.  This method gives me the delay I need to find new
places in my garden for irises or dig new beds for them.  I can continue to
acquire new beardless irises and plan for expansion of iris beds in good
faith.:) At least that's what I tell myself.;)

Similar to Walter's tubbing experience, I had dug a piece of I. pseudacorus
earlier this summer and didn't have time to pot it up, so into the kiddie
pool it went, bare roots and all.  I forgot about this plant for at least
two months.  This happy pseudacorus thrived on the kiddie pool water and
the manure tea formed by the draining of the potted irises in the pool.  I
imagine Walter's method is similar to this experience.  I may have to try
LA's started in manure tea.

When I divided my Louisianas about two weeks ago, I took all of the old
"back" rhizomes and potted them up and placed them in the magical kiddie
pool.  Several already have green shoots.  I expect nice pots of plants
before cold weather.


-Donald (keeping kiddies in the pool)


Donald Mosser
Member of AIS, HIPS, SIGNA, SSI, SLI, SPCNI, and IRIS-L
dmosser@southconn.com

North Augusta, South Carolina, USA
On the South Carolina and Georgia Border
USDA Zone 7b-8
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