Re: CULT: % of losses
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: CULT: % of losses
- From: a* <a*@gv.net>
- Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 11:15:14 -0700 (MST)
MastrGardn@aol.com wrote:
>
> I, too, have trouble with varmits eating my TB's. They seem to like the
> under side of the rhizomes, and often I dont' realize that it has been eaten
> until new growth starts in the spring and that rhizome fails to thrive. We
> have many moles, but I am told that moles do not eat iris. I would like to
> have suggestions as to what is eating the rhizomes. This year, as I have
> been cleaning the iris beds, I have found leaves chewed at the outer edges
> about one to two inches above the ground. This is the first that this has
> happened. What did it? Do dear like iris leaves?
My experience with deer is they don't like irises but!!!!! they will eat
the leaves occassionaly. Last year four TB's in a row were chewed to
about 3" high early in the spring. The plants had been almost 15" when
chewed. They did come back and bloomed tho. This year is a different
story. They're either hungrier or they're getting me for spite. Maybe in
the order of 30-40 or so have had their fans chewed and in some cases
the whole rhisone pulled from the ground. It's still not too bad
considering I have around 1600 plants in that area. I've heard of people
really being bothered by deer in their iris beds, maybe it's the type.
We have the little Colombian black tail in my area and they don't do too
much damage. They can walk right thru your beds and not break a bloom
stock.
Art Bern art@gv.net
Grass Valley, CA
