Re: CAT: Quality (was Another Order IN!!)

I agree Mike,
Kinda of another one of those myth things.  In our area they are not "water fattened", in fact we have a completely dry summer with temps, at the moment, around 110.  We irrigate if necessary every three weeks, but cut off the water at the first of July unless it gets really, really hot hot.  Our annual rainfall is 11 inches but this year it was 7.  Too much water actually can stunt rhizome development and plant growth plus severely increase the chance for disease.  I think the reason we have larger rhizomes than east coast growers is because of several reasons: we dig and replant in furrows every year @ 10 to 12 inches apart (first year rhizomes are always bigger), we plant in relatively fresh or completely fresh soil every year, (fresh soil always makes bigger rhizomes if it is good soil with decent ph), we have very loose sandy loam, we have a very, very long growing season, and our soil is neutral to alkaline.  I am pretty sure the same can be said for other CA growers as well as the Oregon growers.  Oh, btw in general only coastal CA is a relatively mild climate.  
for what its worth 
Mike Sutton

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike Greenfield 
  To: iris-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 8:17 AM
  Subject: Re: [iris-talk] CAT: Quality (was Another Order IN!!)


  I would like to know how they " Water fatten a rhizome" I live in Ohio not California. If I give an iris plenty of room and good growing conditions it gets big. If they are crowded they will be small. I have had SDB rhizomes a lot bigger than the average TB I have ordered. Those only come on ones planted last year. The second year they will be a lot smaller. I think those big ones come from growers that dig and replant every year. Like Superstion Gardens.

  I think if they watered enough to "fatten" them they would increase there chances of rot.
  I like the big ones when they have plenty of increases on them. The small ones I have grown and bloomed just as good as the big ones, just less increases.

  Mike Greenfield
  Zone 5b SW Ohio
  redear@infinet.com
  http://www.geocities.com/mikeg1310/



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