SIB survival

Dennis Hager wrote:
<I have never lost a Siberian (62 and counting) and over half were bare
<root. . You should buy them from someone who
<knows what they are doing. 

Surely Clarence knows.

<They should not be allowed to dry out. I plant in late summer, at least 45
days before <killing frost. When I receive the plants, I open them
immediately and plunge the roots <in a bucket of water. They stay there for
24 hours and they can stand a
<little longer.
<Then I plant and keep moist (almost wet) for the rest of the growing
<season. A little boost with Peters at planting time helps them establish
<the root system, but I would not use a longer acting fertilize until the
<following spring. <Linda, don't give up yet>

Did all that, except the fertilizer. I don't remember how long I soaked them
before planting -- probably only a few hours.  Potted them up in 2 quart pots
and kept them in partial shade (at suggestion of list members for hot
southern sun areas) in a shallow (1 inch) pan of water and watched them
slowly turn brown and die. The ones that lived turned green and grew before I
set them out in the garden.  I may have waited a few days before putting them
in the pan of water, but they were soaked every day.  SHAKER'S PRAYER is
growing great.

Oh, I forgot, I also told them they were now part of the rot gardens.  Maybe
I should've put pictures of snow covered mountains around or maybe put ice
cubes in their water dish.  

Linda Mann lmann76543@aol.com east Tennessee USA
where the dianthus of all kinds are lush and loaded with buds and volunteer
cheerfully to sneak in and cover up all the rotten irises any chance they get
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