Re: TB iris borers
- To: i*@onelist.com
- Subject: Re: TB iris borers
- From: I*@aol.com
- Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 05:04:26 EDT
From: Irisborer@aol.com
>>>First, LillyDilan@aol.com wrote:
>
> I am desperate for a way to get rid of iris borers, they have invaded
garden I
> cut them out of plants but they are in the soil.
>> Then, In a message dated 8/31/1998 12:57:18 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
croyer@fastrans.net writes:
Now is about the time the worm turns,into a flying creature, to lay
its eggs and begin the cycle all over.
Cygon spray works well on the borer and eggs. Possibly by using it as
a soil drench, you could take care of your problem. >>
--->And to that I say.... none of the above - or maybe partial credit to
Crista for the Cygon answer. Here's the story.... Crista is correct that iris
borer - having now had a nice snack on your favorite iris - are pupating in
the soil ... and will then emerge as a moth which will lay eggs on your next
favorite iris for damage next spring.
Irisborers are not in the soil, except as a shiny brown pupa (sp?). Their
life cycle is such that they will not remain in the soil, but will rather soon
be airborne and dropping their eggs. The only effective controls you can
practice at this point is to remove any and all iris debris (dead leaves and
such), and do so again in EARLY spring. This should get rid of a good amount
of the eggs. Spraying the eggs with Cygon will not help, however, it has been
suggested that applying a dormant oil spray in January may (that is, if you're
willing to spend time in your garden in January).
Cygon is a very effective control, but only when used at the proper time in
the irisborer's lifecycle - that being early spring when the young
caterpiller/disgusting worm is feeding on the iris. Cygon is used then as a
drench so that the plant becomes toxic, thereby doing away with the insect
feeding on it. So we recommend 3 applications.... the first one being when
the earlist tulips first show color, and then 10 days later - and finally, 10
days after that.
It should be noted here that Cygon should be treated with respect. I don't
spray, I use it as a drench... pouring it onto the rhizome at it's base so
that it spills into the soil where the roots can use it.
And finally..... the new book THE GARDENER'S IRIS BOOK, by our own BILL SHEAR,
has an excellent section on iris borers, complete with disgusting photos.....
a must for any iris grower's library, IMHO.
Kathy Guest
E. Aurora, NY - Z5 or 6 somewhere
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