Re: Botrytis
- Subject: Re: Botrytis
- From: C*@aol.com
- Date: Sat, 9 Mar 96 15:40:20 MST
In a message dated 96-03-09 12:05:59 EST, you write:
> at the risk of offending, shriners is the only supplier (of big
>fat or otherwise) i have had botrytis problems from regularly. so i have
>decided to buy their catalog, but order elsewhere, unless i am so overcome
>with drooling reaction to the pictures that i can't control myself. in
which
>case i will store the rhizomes in the shed until they dry out and the
weather
>cools off. interesting to hear of the pot approach, but i agree that sounds
>like too much fussing around. last year was my first experience with the
>other big fat rhizome supplier that i know of (cooley's) and they have been
>healthy so far..
>
>
Linda, Both Schreiners and Cooleys are very reputable nurseries....they are
of course the worlds largest sellers of irises. They sell quality plants,
and I buy from both of them, and can attest to their irises being totally
disease free!! On the West Coast bearded irises grow larger and quicker. As
a rule, soil is porous and drainage is excellent! Soils are seemingly made
for rhizomous irises. Rhizomes grown out West are often huge, and require
"conditioning" before planting in the acidic, clay soils that are so common
in the Eastern U.S. It is our lack of porous soils and our wet summers that
are the "problem". (Mike and Anne Lowe who live in Blacksburg VA have a very
sandy porous soil...and do not have the same sort of problems I have in
Northern VA...of course they are outstanding growers, too)
Often at our local iris sales people will ignore smaller rhizomes in the
mistaken believe that rhizome size is the best indicator of the future
performance of the iris. I will usually select a medium to smaller rhizome,
as many of the more experienced growers here do. I always advise that size is
not a good indicater or health or vigor, but some people just cannot believe
this is true. (Of course there are limits in how small is acceptable...a
tiny nub is probably not going to bloom the following year.) Clarence Mahan
