Re: CULT: Roots -- Shave/Not Shave
From: John I Jones <jijones@ix.netcom.com>
Judyhunt1@aol.com wrote:
>
> I would like to pose a question for discussion. For the past three or four
> years, we have been potting all rhizomes as our orders arrive in the summer.
> My husband subscribes to the "unshaven root" theory. He will trim them so
> they will fit in the pot, but thinks that the old roots stabilize the rhizome
> until new roots grow. We have had a few rhizomes that have rotted before we
> transferred them to the garden in the fall. These have had the same treatment
> as the ones that did not rot -- no extra water, all kept in the same
> location, etc. My question: Could the old roots increase the likelihood of
> "pot rot" (or even "garden rot") occurring?
I would think this would be unlikely as a cause of rot. Perhaps Bill Shear
will have something to add.
Speaking of Bill reminds me of the experiment he did last year on some rzs
with dried roots. He planted a number of them in pots and found that within a
week thay had started to grow new feeder roots on the old dried up roots! The
implication being that unless you have a real reason to shave roots (like you
are a commercial grower and have 10's of thousands to plant) it is probably
better to leave the roots on because the plant starts getting nurishment
sooner.
John | "There be dragons here"
| Annotation used by ancient cartographers
| to indicate the edge of the known world.
________________________________________________
USDA zone 8/9 (coastal, bay)
Fremont, California, USA
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