Cult:Bleaching Irises
- To: i*@onelist.com
- Subject: Cult:Bleaching Irises
- From: "* A* M* <w*@Ra.MsState.Edu>
- Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 07:39:59 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Walter A. Moores" <wam2@Ra.MsState.Edu>
On Wed, 29 Jul 1998 JEM300@aol.com wrote:
> From: <JEM300@aol.com>
>
> In a message dated 98-07-29 19:35:13 EDT, you write:
>
> << It might be wise to give these rhizomes a clorox bath for
> thirty minutes. One part clorox to 9, 10 parts water.
> >>
>
> I'm curious........I was told once before to do this to new iris
> acquisitions......what is this supposed to kill, prevent or whatever?
>
> Linda Doffek West Bend, WI Zone 5
Jeff Walters has mentioned mold spores and other infectious
invasions in transit as a reason for bathing new irises on arrival.
I hate to contradict the venerable Ben Hager on his recent article
about 'tenderness' and 'rhizomes full of water.' But, these conditions
exist. The 'tenderness' factor being in plants grown near the coast where
it never really gets cold, but it is the 'full of water' aspect we are now
considering as a rot-inducing agent. The rhizomes are full of water
because they have been 'forced' by one method or another. If said rhizomes
are placed in a UPS truck which is driven through the Arizona desert,
those rhizomes have every opportunity to develop mold and rot. If these
rhizomes had no water in them when they left Ben's place, then they
developed it through 'perspiration' in a box in a UPS truck. All West
Coast irises being shipped to the East are suspect. I have opened boxes
that were eight days in transit, and the rhizomes were covered with a mold
film. I have also seen irises with full-blown rot that developed in
transit. Trim off the rot or remove the mold and put the plants in the
bleach bath water for thirty minutes.
The bleach bath will kill these mold spores and rot producing
agents. I am sure the plant absorbs some of the bleach, making it more
effective than dry sulphur.
Walter Moores
Enid Lake, MS 7/8
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