Re: winter heave - to squish or not to squish
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: winter heave - to squish or not to squish
  • From: &* G* C* <j*@cox.net>
  • Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:40:12 -0400
Shaub's suggestions help. A couple of other things one can do is (1) put a brick on the rhizome, or, better, (2) take a wire coat hanger, snip the lower cross bar neatly in two, then snip off each of the shoulder pieces at the neck. You now have two v-shaped pieces. Press your erupted rhizome into the earth and pin it down with one of the v-shapes. Keep the arms of the v-shape close to the rhizome. The spring tension still in the wire will tend to keep it from erupting when the natural forces exert upward pressure on the rhizome again. Actually, pinning down is best done when planting a new rhizome if you're in a frequent freeze-thaw climate. -- Griff
-----Original Message----- From: Phloid 
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 1:43 PM
To: iris@hort.net
Subject: Re: [iris] winter heave - to squish or not to squish

LOL - so we have two "step on"s. There ya go show 'em who's boss. :) If
it's well established it can hang.
But if it was newly planted last year - well I _hate_ losing a newly
acquired iris - a year's effort and waiting kaput. grrr....  So all
things considered I get on my knees and bow to them. My emerging spring
iris fan shoots, especially the smaller ones are brittle.  So if you
need to keep all you have in good shape ..... Plus spring fan rot is a
problem here and wounded fans are just asking for it. If laying on the
top of the ground a firm mash (you squish, I mash)  down and firming of
the surrounding soil using fingers generally works. I've been to known
to put a rock on top - keeps them down if you are still having freeze
thaw cycles. Plus I've had crows fly off with them. Critters can do the
darnedest things. If they still have roots in the soil I generally poke
soil beneath trying not to disturb the roots more than needed. They may
still be partly functional and pumping some water and nutrients. New
roots will be replacing them soon but still .... why not?

Shaub, z6b NC

On 3/11/2014 7:46 AM, dpmallen tds.net wrote:

Is there a scientific reason not to lightly and gingerly squish a heaved
iris back down into the mud in the early spring?

What is the best method besides pulling them up and re-setting.

Thanks, Peggy Harger-Allen
Indiana

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