Re: HIST: CULT: Rebloom-soil conditions

From: linda Mann <lmann@mailhub.icx.net>

Tillage does several things:

Aerates the soil, which can affect nitrogen availability (though not by
adding gaseous nitrogen to the soil).  The extra air stimulates some
kinds of microbes (bacteria) that chew on organic matter and release
some of the nitrogen previously tied up in the organic matter (it
decomposes).  

Aeration also improves drainage - by making bigger 'holes' in the ground
for the water to move thru faster.  Some plants like it that way.

And loosening the soil makes it easier for roots to grow faster and get
at the goodies in the soil before other things get them.  Irises seem to
be a bit lazy in this respect (:>)  - either that or their roots just
don't have the strength to plow thru untilled soil.

Some plants have big differences in the types of roots they produce -
some are big roots for anchoring the plant down, some are fine roots
for  soaking up water and nutrients (so called feeder roots).  Usually,
if you whack off the end of a big root, it will produce a lot more
feeder roots.  I haven't actually checked this out for irises, but I
have noticed BIG differences in root architecture for different
cultivars, so I suspect that root pruning and subsequent growth of lots
of new fine feeder roots plays a part in stimulating growth.

My last bright idea on this subject - hormones again.  Many plants seem
to save their energy for reproduction (bloom) till they 'think' they
might die.  The strategy seems to be that as long as things are good,
put all the energy into grow grow grow.  Probably a lot of us have made
the mistake of making tomato plants a bit too happy - they grow 14 ft
tall, bloom like crazy, and set no fruit.  This strategy seems to apply
more to annuals than to perennials, so I suspect doesn't have much to do
with irises.  But who knows what these guys are up to.  For example,
when some cultivars (BLACK MAGIC, IB RE) get overcrowded, they quit
blooming, but continue to grow like mad.  Is that because each
individual rhizome can't get enough water and nutrients (they are all
fighting over the same supply) or have the hormones kicked in and
decided that everybody is doing so well they will just keep growing? 
Maybe I need to run the rototiller thru the clump....results would be
the same, regardless of the reason.

Linda Mann east Tennessee USA


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