Re: CULT new acquisitions - now rot talk

From: "Donald Eaves" <donald@eastland.net>


Anner asks re the following comment:
> 
> << Rot.  I don't like this stuff (surprise, huh).  I have only ever had
it on
> new rhizomes.  I have very little even then and hope this remains my
> experience. >>
> 
> What sort of rot are we talking about, Donald? Is it the smelly one or
are you
> just loosing the occasional fan to something nonspecific? And is it
something
> that crops up shortly after planting, or in the fall when the rains come,
or
> with he following spring? 
> 
This is the very aromatic yellow mushy kind.  I believe this list described
it very
well, so believe it to be the common bacterial rot.  It has occasionally
cropped
up on new plantings after watering or rain.  The weather has been warm.  It
does
not seem to be a problem at the moment, although we are having some fall
rain.
I think because the weather has cooled off.  I have never yet (knock on
wood) had
this on a plant carried through the winter, so have never had spring rot. 
Which
was what prompted my query a few weeks ago as to whether new plants arrived
were harboring it or whether is was already existent in the soil.  To which
the
answer was "both".  My fear is that it will become a problem if I am
importing it
on plants and contaminating soil.  I'm not willing to forgo ordering to
stop this as
a process, so was interested in knowing the answer so I could take all
steps to
minimize the effects or hopefully, even prevent them.  What I'd like to do
is learn
to recognize the very earliest signs, before mush sets in.  I think I may
have made
some progress on this, but it would take more practice to be sure I was
correct.
However, some I got suspicious of did indeed develop rot in a week or so
and 
others I felt were okay, really were okay.  Unfortunately, to really know
if I'm able
to identify susceptable irises, I have to get the rot present.  I really
would rather
not get the practice!
> And do I understand that if a rhizome makes it through spell of rot and
then a
> winter or whatever then rot on that rhizome seems to be less of a
problem? No
> problem?

Addressed above, I think.  No problem so far.
> 
> And do you have this same pattern with rhizomes which are obtained
locally?
> Any other patterns?
>
Not really.  I tried to ascertain a supplier pattern this year, but can't
honestly
say with any certainty there was any.  My rot on the ten rhizomes were
spread
over seven sources, ranging from Texas to unknown (arilbreds obtained
through
their plant sale which I believe were donated from several sources).  Also,
I do
not blame the suppliers in any case.  I received what appeared to be
perfectly
healthy, solid rhizomes.  And they put out new growth for several weeks. 
It 
was the nature of that growth which made me suspicious and watchful and
which probably paid off in terms of their survival.  The two I lost went
completely
over in one day.  I tried for several weeks with clorox treatments to
salvage one,
but it persistantly rotted.  Both these rhizomes had also had the
disadvantage
of being repeatedly uprooted by armadillos and thus necessitating
replanting
and rewatering.  I finally removed some planted ones in the area for fear
they
would succumb to rot as well.  So I think that aggravated the problem as
well
as the fact that they were the first ones to acquire it, so I wasn't on top
of them
as quickly.

I appreciate your query here.  Another long post from me, but I really
would be
interested if others think they might be able to identify plants more
susceptable
to getting the rot.  Perhaps not everyone watches as closely as I do.  A
stroll
by in the morning and checks in the afternoon is the usual routine.  It
does 
seem to me there ought to be signs apparent before the mushiness sets in,
e.g. sap oozing, translucent appearance, softness of foliage or limberness
down
to the rhizome.  These were signs I was observing and sure enough it was
those
which did get mushy.  My sample is too small to be definite and may not
prove
to be reliable as indicators in the future, but at this point is where I
have would 
up on evaluating potential rotters.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7


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