Iris Myths
From: Mike Lowe <mlowe@worldiris.com>
This was mentioned on the list and has also been put forward as a
reason for rot in a number of National Convention garden write-ups
over the years
>"...where several gardens solarized and then had horrible rot...."
I have been in probably half a dozen convention gardens, spanning a
good many conventions, where losses to rot went from 50% to at least
95%. Usually the horrified whispers that go around are to the effect
that: "they sterilized the soil...then soft rot bacteria moved in,
multiplied with no competition, and produced this...nothing they
could have done...."
Interestingly enough, in many cases, a parallel story circulates
whereas the affected garden owners have dosed with MASSIVE amounts of
both Agristrep® and Terrachlor® all to no avail in halting the
devastation.
In contrast, I know of many commercial iris gardens, nurseries,
hybridizers seedling beds, new plantings established where large
scale iris hobbyists have moved, etc., etc. where soil sterilization
was routinely practiced. Both solarization and chemical agents such
as methyl bromide were employed. I am not aware of any of episodes of
rampant rot in these plantings such as is often encountered in
National Convention Display Garden beds.
I absolutely cannot support the theory that soil sterilization
produces conditions where massive incursions of pathogens occur.
There is a much simpler explanation, but I am not going to voice it,
suspecting that I will be shot dead the next time I step into a
National Convention Display Garden! 8-;
Cheers,
Mike
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