Re: Holes in rhizomes

Julie--Do you have crickets?  I'm not sure, exactly, what your holes look
like.  When you said "hole" I pictured a sharp-edged, straight sided hole
like a nail would make.  From your description, however, I wondered if it
isn't the same thing I get this time of year that looks as if something
is just gnawing away at the exposed top part of the rhizome?

I have determined it's crickets.  If they find a rhizome that tastes
particularly good to them they will eat the entire thing and I find the
fan flat on the ground, completely detatched, since the rhizome is gone.
Lost several guest iris this way a couple of years ago.  In an established
clump it doesn't seem to hurt much--if they eat one rhizome there are
usually more there.  But for some reason they seem to prefer the newly
planted rhizomes were I only have one rhizome to start with.  

Now when I plant, the last thing I do is sprinkle a few diazanon crystals
around the exposed rhizomes.  Doesn't always complete stop the gnawing,
but seems to get rid of the crickets before they can completely finish off
a rhizome.

Lois Rose in Central Virginia
25 mi SW of Fredericksburg in southern Spotsylvania County
Zone 7; peak TB bloom May 15
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