RE: Re: HIST: CULT: Rebloom-soil conditions

From: "Mark, Maureen" <markm@tc.gc.ca>

Great answer Linda.  I'll just add my two cents.  Iris don't seem to make
the feeder roots as readily.  When digging time comes around again, take
note of the irises with the biggest fans and rhizomes.  I think that you
will notice that they have many more feeder roots than long straggly roots.

One large iris nursery began cultivating the rows of irises two years ago.
The regular cultivation encouraged feeder roots and also improved drainage.
The result was rhizomes more than 50% larger and the fans literally shone
with healthiness.

Maureen Mark
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (zone 4) -- where it is to be a roller coaster week
and the iris beds have white mulch again


> ----------
> From: 	linda Mann[SMTP:lmann@mailhub.icx.net]
> Reply To: 	iris-talk@onelist.com
> Sent: 	Monday, March 13, 2000 8:47 AM
> To: 	iris-talk@onelist.com
> Subject: 	[iris-talk] 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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