Re: CULT: Botrytis run wild

From: hipsource@aol.com

In a message dated 2/23/00 10:51:11 AM Eastern Standard Time, bills@hsc.edu 
writes:

<<  Having not seen it for decades, I am being blitzed by botrytis this 
year--and all on new acquisitions>>

Oh, Bummer! 

Are you seeing fuzziness, fruiting bodies and the whole schmear? I don't 
think I've ever seen it ---knock wood.  It is gettiing time for me to remove 
my Christmas Tree boughs since there is some new growth showing but I hope I 
don't find more crud than I am expecting.  

<< In this line, I note in the Winterberry Gardens catalog that they decry the
 shipment of dry rhizomes, and ship only freshly dug iris PLANTS, with all
 their roots and only minimally trimmed fans.  I duly note that UNCLE
 CHARLIE and LITTLE JOHN, both from Winterberry, show no signs of problems
 and more resemble long-established plants.>>

And those irise came from growing conditions more similiar to your own than 
some other growers might be; Winterberry is in Northern Virginia. But yes, 
I've noticed that their stuff is not as dessicated and furthermore that they 
don't have that overpeeled look that you see sometimes when the rhizome has 
been out of the ground for a long time and they basically strip the dry 
foliage. 

<< For years I have touted the need to "cure" bearded iris rhizomes to promote
 establishment and first-year bloom.  I know that others think differently
 and have had different experience.  Maybe in this case it was just TOO MUCH
 curing under less than perfect circumstances.>>

Weather has been weird in a lot of places, Bill. Lots of the plants must be 
stressed. Hard to know what to make of it all. And it stands to reason that 
some cultivars would have more problems than others. I hate to say it but do 
you think the plants brought it in with them? 
 
<< Maybe I should change my tune!  But the experiment was not entirely
 controlled,a nd I hope will not be repeated.>>

I think a controlled experiment would be good, although there are some 
variables that are still unexplored. One is this: I've said here before that 
I think there are some dud rhizomes of otherwise good irises and I was 
puttering in some old iris literature not long ago and ran into something of 
this sort stated. I will see if I can recall where and post same if I do.  
 
<< PS--the reason for all these separate messages is to preserve the integrity
 of subject tags and the archives.  Such a good boy!>>

Thank you, Bill. I've got little yellow crocuses blooming now. 

Anner Whitehead 
HIPSource@aol.com

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