IRIS CULTURE: Small rhizomes


Small rhizomes generally do not mean that the rhizomes will produce
smaller plants.  In our arid and sandy soil with cold winters the
rhizomes tend to be small as a matter of self preservation I think. 
When we got the lovely plump rhizomes from the coastal areas they tended
to succumb to the freezing weather in winter and the mortality rate was
high in them.  The small, rather dry rhizomes that we traded with
friends in the area or purchased from growers in similar climates seemed
to have very little loss over winter.  We learned to leave the plump
iris out of the ground until most of the water in them had evaporated
and thus they became smaller and dryer looking.  When we planted them
after this treatment the survived the winter and bloomed for us.  I had
no iris mentors when I moved from the coast to north central WA and I
discovered that if I did not plant the iris right away they seemed to
grow better than the ones I planted immediately.  I knew the rhizomes
did not look like they had when I received them but did not really
associate the delayed planting with the success rate I achieved.  When I
moved south a hundred miles I still had the same climate conditions.  I
joined the Columbia Basin Iris Society and found that the members here
had found the same thing worked for them.  They said they would "hang
their rhizomes on the clothes line to dry" when they purchased iris from
the wet areas to remove some of the moisture and they had great luck
with that method.  

When I lived on the coast I purchased iris from Austin's Rainbow Gardens
which were in Texas I believe.  The rhizomes were small but grew well
and when I separated them they were large, moisture filled and looked
just like those I purchased on the coast.  I do not think the transition
from arid areas to wet seem to cause much of a problem.  I am speaking
from my own experience here and others may disagree with me due to their
experience.

I also belong to the Aril Society and when I purchase rhizomes of
arilbred iris that were grown in the desert areas they are really tiny
but they produce wonderful flowers the first year after planting.  

I think possibly Sharon McAlister and Jeff Walters live in areas such as
mine so perhaps they can expand on my theory.

I have received three orders already and have planted them, placed
markers by them and made the drawing of their location in the bed.  I
will enter them in my spread sheet program so that I may sort them for
type, color, location and any other characteristics I wish if I have
included those features on the spread sheet.

Forest fires in this area have claimed 4 lives and are causing smoke to
seep in to the area. One small fire yesterday was within a couple miles
of here.  I know we could evacuate our cats but I suppose my husband
would not understand if I wanted to dig up all my iris to go with us!

Happy planting and I hope you get lots of rebloom.
Patti

 

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