Re: CULT: Baked Rhizome Scorch Cure

From Walter,

> Scorch occurs in early spring before the weather gets to 350o
>baking temperature.
>
> Donald, are you saying that you are just now 'baking' your
>rhizomes after the scorch attack in March and April?  How long
>can one wait to 'bake' after a scorch attack?
>
Well, in a way.  I started replanting deeper a few early on, but it didn't
seem to help them.  They continued to show all the symptoms of
scorch, not growing really but not dying either.  After the convention
in Dallas I mulled about whether anything would work or even whether
the sad things were worth fooling with.  But then I decided there was
nothing to lose.  Clearly they were not progressing as they were.  So
I promptly buried a couple and set a few out in full sun.  The time in
the sun has varied.  I was told ten days, but with some incorrigible and
recalcitrant cattle occupying too much of my time, some have laid out
for more than three weeks.  The mentioned duo of VIOLET DAWSON
and SHONDO fall into this category.  As time as has gone along, I have
popped a few more out here and there, buried a couple more without
baking and am still basically following this loose method of giving the
scorch victims this variable form of treatment.  So I have no idea of how
long one can wait to start treatment.  The above mentioned ones seemed
pretty well goners when I started.  I am frankly surprised to see fan growth
on them.  Others were as bad, but others still indicated more signs of
life.  There were a couple that were so bad I just tossed them.  I have
still
more to try.  What's to lose if it doesn't work?  They sure haven't shown
any indication of recovering otherwise.  At this point I don't feel it's
probably necessary to bury them 6".  Those growing best so far are only
under a soil cover of 2-3".  They were completely covered, however.  They
did get a baking though.  I started this when our tempuratures were soaring
to 106 some days and they were in full sun on limestone rock.  I continued
watering with them in the area.  Many were turned with
the roots toward the sun.  All the dried roots were removed before burying
again.  I don't have any clear dos and don'ts for this process.  I'm not at
all
sure it will even work long term.  The rhizomes themselves aren't likely to
bloom now for season or two, I wouldn't think.  So the seedlings which came
up this fall will probably be showing their first blooms by the time any of
these that survive reach bloom stage.  I might be wrong here, but that
is my best guess.  So it might not be worth it for many people.  On the
other hand, I have named varieties which I purchased at one time or
another and if they survive I still have those without replacing them.
Also,
if it works, it might be a process which I could tackle when the blight is
first apparent and then not miss any but a current season.  Certainly
if this works I won't wait so long next time to take the steps I'm trying
now.

> How long do you leave the rhizome in the 'oven?'
>
I addressed the variability of my method.  My question now is it only
the heat or does the sunlight also play a part?  I can't leave the next
ones out on the rocks since I now know the grasshoppers will eat the
rhizome.  Doesn't take much for them to consider it a banquet!  So
the next batch will have to be baked in a hot garage storeroom in the
dark.

> Jim Browne in Memphis swears by the method you described.
>He 'bakes' his scorched varieties on the concrete driveway, but I
>don't know when in the season he does it or how long it takes to
>cure a rhizome?
>
He may be the source for the ten day mark.  I'm not sure.  But I
don't recall anyone giving any advice as to when in the season is
best.  I didn't think to ask the man who used the dehydrator.  Also,
since the victims continually appear to be recovering in the early
stages, it may be that many folks will not begin until that sick/recover
cycle is repeated several or more times.  I know I was continually
hopeful they were recovering when they kept putting out new growth.
Some are still in that cycle of putting out new growth only to see it
turn scorched after a week or so of nice green growth.  Some of mine
ultimately quit that cycle and were just hard rhizomes with no apparent
growth at all.  Again, refer to the two above cultivars.  They don't reach
that stage until there have been many repeats of the cycle.  Can't be
good for the rhizomes to wait that long, IMHO.

> I have no experience with this but want to learn the basics.
>
Personally, I would love never to need the knowledge.  It has not been
fun seeing so many victims.  I wish I could isolate a common factor on
the victims.  The only thing I have is the amount of full sun on the beds.
I had no scorch victims on those which got at least 1/2 day of shade.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7, USA and hoping the above post is completely irrelevant
to most folks on this list.


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