Re: CULT Roots

From: celia storey <storey@aristotle.net>

Bill writes:
>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.  New cord-like roots form soon thereafter.  Shaving roots may
>have some impact on nematode control, I suppose.  But what's the rationale
>for doing it as a routine thing?

I wonder about this, too. Recently it occured to me that, since irises are
monocots and the roots only grow at the tips (this is right, isn't it?)
when we rip the plants out of the ground and accidentally cut off those
yellow growing root tips, the remaining roots are not going to recover and
grow. So maybe folks shave them off because they're doomed to rot?

I like having some old roots attached because they help anchor the rhizome.
When you live in a place that gets the kind of thunderstorms we get, with
the sideways rain and the straight-line winds, anything that anchors a
newly planted rhizome is a big help. Last week the Capitol plantings crew
replanted our beds. A big storm came up that afternoon and the next day the
bed inspectors found dozens of our new starts lying around willynilly,
having been buffetted right out of the ground. Thank goodness for Sutton's
stapled name tags!

celia
s*@aristotle.net
Little Rock, Arkansas, USDA Zone 7b
-----------------------------------
257 feet above sea level,
average rainfall about 50 inches (more than 60" in '97)
average relative humidity (at 6 a.m.) 84%.
moderate winters, hot summers ... but lots of seesaw action in all seasons



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