CULT: Late Planting

I don't often move or plant TBs in October, but when I have in the past
I've followed a suggestion posted on Iris-talk a few years ago.  I put
some fairly heavy rocks in a triangle around the fan, both as weight to
prevent frost heaving over winter and to provide a heat sink.

A heat sink works by absorbing the energy from sunlight (if any!) during
the day, releasing the heat slowly during the night.  Slowing down the
rapid diurnal (day-night) variations in temperature helps protect tender
new growth, especially underground where new roots are growing and
anchoring the fan.

Usually the first year growth and bloom are fairly normal.  In the
second year, however, I've seen a typically weak pattern of growth in
late planted stock.  That seems rather curious.  I would expect the
irises to have shifted into normal growth by the end of the first bloom
season.  This hasn't been the case here in the western mountain
(Asheville) area of NC.  The pattern has been consistent.  Second season
bloom has typically been absent, even though the plant survives.

I plan to take digital photos of the planting and rock array either
today or later this week to post to Iris-photos to illustrate what I'm
doing.

The temperature patterns here have settled into a gentle early autumn
pattern.  As Linda Mann has commented recently, we could have a plunge
into freezing temperatures any time now, although last year our first
frost here didn't come until the early part of November.  This year
seems to be following a similar cycle except for being exceptionally dry
since the beginning of September.  The late spring (May) to the end of
August was exceptionally wet, with over 10 inches of rain in both June
and July, over 5 inches in August.

Do any others in the "Vale of Despond" ("D" Continental climate areas
subject to abrupt Arctic air masses in spring or fall) have similar
experience with late planted stock?

Neil Mogensen  z 7  Reg 4  western NC mountains

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