Re: HYB: CULT: antibiotics

After reading all the discussion regarding antibiotics, I had some 
second thoughts about what I was using in my garden!  But not for 
long...I don't use the Dial mixture on every iris that shows signs of 
rot.  Sometimes I'll just cut out the bad part and let the sun do its 
work (if it's out!).  I have over 200 cultivars in my garden and 
they're close together.  Also my soil is heavy with clay and I have 
to amend it by hand (don't own a rototiller) and it's hard work.  I 
believe the proximity of the cv's to each other combined with the 
less than perfect soil...and the fact that many of my purchases are 
from California (MUCH different climate - certainly less rain and 
humidity)and need time to adjust, are the reasons for some rot.

A prime example is TOTAL RECALL - named as a dependable rebloomer in 
many areas - even in Chuck Chapman's Ontario garden.  Yet it (and the 
now infamous Double Shot of the ten-budded stalk!)gave me the most 
problems this year (both were new to my garden).  I believe that by 
next year they'll have acclimated - most of the others from warmer 
parts have done so.  But I did use the Dial mixture on those two. (In 
previous years, I used bleach, but the application of undiluted 
bleach goes more against the grain than a tablespoon of Dial in a 
gallon of water - and using only a cup or two per plant) 

The longer I grow irises, the more I learn about them and the 
more 'expert' I become in meeting their needs and providing the 
best 'home' for them that I can.  I'm more comfortable handling them 
and digging/dividing/scraping any rot/removing fans with borers now.  
But I, too, would not baby an iris that consistantly showed a 
tendency to rot under 'normal' conditions.

Linda B.
llbartell@yahoo.com




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