re: solarization for the home gardener


        I am certainly no Iris farmer, but I intend to try solarization on a 
small area where Iris had been grown for many years. IF this helps then I will 
use it for areas which now contain iris, rotating the area each year so that 
plants can be undisturbed for 2-3 years if desired. I plan to remove all plants 
and any dormant bulbs in the area which might be damaged. I believe (correct me 
if wrong) that any TB iris just dug after blooming could sit out in a cool dry 
spot for the 4-6 weeks of solarization, otherwise I will heel them into rows in 
the veggie garden with a loose compost to make it easy to move them later. My 
only complaint/concern over having to do this is that the solarized area will be
less than attractive in the middle of my Mixed border.

        Regarding John's remark that some growers (he mentions Maryotts) had 
been growing in the same plot for years, I believe it was discussed last year 
that this garden as well as Joe Ghio's were using an agricultural field gas to 
sterilize their fields, just as the local strawberry growers do in the area. I 
can't remember the name of the gas used, but I did recognize it as one up for a 
ban as it is a carcinogen.

        Chad Schroter in Los Gatos, wondering how my seeds are going to get 
their stratification when it stays in the low 50's at night.
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