Re: CULT:potting irises

Hi All
 
Guess it's about time for me to add my 2 cents worth again.  I consider myself to still be quite a newby to iris growing. 
 
I have always admired iris since my childhood, as so many folks grow them here.  Last spring I bought some iris at a local nursery, they had no idea of colors, etc. but they were relatively inexpensive and I wanted to start somewhere. 
 
While surfin the net I came across this list and joined it.  The "sale list" came out after the Denver Show and the descriptions of the iris looked so exciting that I ordered 10 rz from it.  We were in a record setting drought, so I pled to the list for advice on how to make them survive. 
 
Within a few hours Walter had posted the root shaving, potting technique for me.  I had no idea (at that time) of his stature in the iris community, was scared to shave my "prizes," but felt that since he was at a state university there was an excellent chance he knew what he was talking about. 
 
I'm pleased to tell you that ALL of the iris are in great shape.  None died, in fact I used the methods he suggested for some other iris some of the other listmembers were kind enough to share with me.  Every iris I planted in the beds last fall has green leaves, some are even showing increase.  I still have no bloomstalks but am eagerly awaiting them.   I have corresponded with several of you personally, and appreciate everyone's help. 
 
I plan to send my membership application to AIS this week.  I may be the first person ever to join before he ever got a bloom on his own iris.  My wife Linda and I plan to attend the convention in OKC.  Hope to meet many of you there! 
 

Lew Best
Waco, TX
USDA Zone 8, Heat Zone 9, Sunset Zone 33

-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Simmons [mailto:glsimmon@swbell.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 1999 9:32 AM
To: iris-talk@onelist.com
Subject: [iris-talk] Re: CULT:potting irises

From: Glenn Simmons  

Chris Hollinshead wrote:

From: "Chris Hollinshead" <cris@netcom.ca>

Couple of questions, Glenn... I was particularly interested in the fact that
your experience involved the *West Coast irises... I have had consistent bad
experiences/luck with the survivability of them too with huge overwinter
losses (rot, botrytis and heaving). Most always with my TB replants, they
are heaved way out of the ground come spring... and I do mean way out! In
the Spring it looks like I didn't even bother to plant them, just threw them
onto the top of the garden bed. I have tried planting earlier but it does
not make too much difference. Letting the rhizomes dry out cuts into the
limited growing season left after receipt and correspondingly limits the
amount time left for rooting to become established prior to winter. Putting
bricks etc on top of the rhizomes overwinter to prevent heaving seems to me
to only treat the symptoms and not the cause. These things were partially
behind my reasons for considering this methodology on new acquisitions.

Now, to the questions:
1. Did you cut back the roots on these West Coast and other iris before
planting? if yes, how much?
2. What kind of medium did you pot with?
3. What would be the diameter of a 1 gallon pot? (I moved to the 6 inch dia
size for TBs)
4. How long did you keep them potted before transplanting into the garden
beds?

*West Coast iris defined in this discussion are iris that are
grown/propagated on the west coast and not necessarily confined to those
just hybridized there. My own West Coast iris were sourced from Oregon.

Look forward to comments. (Glenn, I have brought this discussion back into
the public forum of Iris Talk as I think many will be interested or benefit
from this information exchange)

Christopher Hollinshead

Hello Chris and others interested in this topic.  I have to apologize for taking so long to reply to this message, there has really been no excuse.

Last summer I contacted Walter because of some comments he made, on Iris Talk, about potting iris.

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