Re: Denver Iris

From: "Walter A. Moores" <wam2@Ra.MsState.Edu>



On Thu, 30 Jul 1998, Bill Shear wrote:

> From: Bill Shear <BILLS@hsc.edu>
> 
> Not to contradict the venerable Walter too strongly, but I see no advantage
> to potting iris rhizomes as opposed to planting them in the ground.  

	Unless you have lived in an extremely hot climate, you cannot
appreciate the benefits derived from potting irises.  I would not
recommend this procedure for people who live in milder climates, and as I
have said on several occasions when the question of planting new
acquitions arises that whatever works for you, then do it.  Potting, it so
happens, worked for me in TX where I had no shade, and it still works for
me in MS where I have no shade.

	The soil in TX and where I live now heats so easily that it can
burn bare feet.  Imagine an iris planted in such soil in the July sun. 
Soil temperatures in the potted irises in the shade must be at least
twenty degrees cooler, and therefore, roots are encouraged to grow
readily. 

Unless
> you plan to keep the pots in an air-conditioned house, they will be exposed
> to the same temperatures (probably higher) than if they had been planted in
> the ground.  So why not plant them in the ground right away and let them
> get established where they are to grow, rather than introduce another
> transplanting setback?  It would definitely not be a good idea to keep them
> in pots for an entire year, especially not the small 4" pots Walter
> mentioned. 

	I have never mentioned keeping irises potted for a year, and I
would definitely not recommend that even in my climate.  A severe freeze
will do them in in a gallon pot even in the garage.  That happened to me
in Texas in the winter of '82 or '83 when it stayed below freezing for
about two weeks with temperatures falling to near Oo.

	There is no new transplanting shock because the entire rootball is
planted and hardly any soil in the pot is disturbed.  If you pull the
rhizome out of the pot, you have defeated the purpose of potting.


 That size seems small--I'd have trouble getting most of the
> rhizomes I bought this year into such a small pot, which would then be
> enormously topheavy.  I'm not saying this would not work, as it obviously
> does for Walter--It's just not what I would do in this situation.
> 
	I used to use gallon plastic pots, but with that much soil, they
are heavy, and when it comes to unpotting, you have to dig a terrific hole
in the bed to accommodate such an amount of soil.  I know it sounds
impossible, but a 4" pot is sufficient for the two or three month period
the rhizome is in it.

> If the irises must be planted immediately (and there really is no need to
> plant immediately--rhizomes can stay out of the ground for weeks with no
> ill effects), why not put them right into the ground and apply a light,
> airy mulch about 3-4" deep to keep the soil cool?
> 
> 
> I'm also somewhat worried about this process of cutting off ("shaving") all
> the roots before planting.  The roots of iris rhizomes are usually alive in
> plants that have not been out of the ground for weeks and weeks.  Shortly
> after planting, these live roots sprout branches that get the plant off to
> a good start. 

	Shaving off the roots is not new to me. I think I learned that
from Keith Keppel.  Several large growers shave off all the roots and
leave the rhizomes in a cool dry place until the little golden root
nodules begin to form.  Leaving rhizomes out of the ground for an extended
period works for larger sized rhizomes, but I would not recommend it if
the plants are rather small.

	I have advocated potting irises only for people who live where it
is extremely hot and for the sole purpose of getting the iris a head
start.  Unless you have tried the potting procedure, you will never know
of these benefits.  Also, potting procedures have been in the AIS Bulletin
about ten years ago, in the current issue of Region 7 Spring Newsletter,
and in an upcoming issue of TALL TALK.  And, I didn't write them all!

	Walter Moores
	Enid Lake, MS 7/8 


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