Re: rot prevention
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: rot prevention
- From: L* M* <l*@icx.net>
- Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 17:32:20 -0600 (MDT)
Merrily wrote:
> In Washington DC we rarely have a freeze that sticks around; same with snow. But the temperatures do go
> up and down through the winter, sometimes being high long enough to stimulate growth. I'm worried that
> this winter will be worse than usual in this regard. Are there preventive measures I can take now that will
> protect my TBs from rot as their hormones get heated up and cooled down over and over. We all know how
> depressing that can be; makes everybody feel rotten. Thanks much.
Merrily, I wish there were easy ways to prevent rot under those
conditions. I have found two ways to help avoid rot - one is to hunt
for introductions that are slow to respond to warm spells (these tend to
be later blooming ones - MLs) and the other is to research pedigrees and
find irises that are related to ones you know can handle that kind of
weather, or come from hybridizers selecting seedlings under those
conditions. I used to use Reemay plant bed covers whenever we had
temperature drops to the low 20s or worse after warm spells (weeks in
the 70s or 80s) in the winter/early spring and it worked quite well for
protecting bloom formation, so it would probably help protect from
injury that leads to rot as well. But it's a nuisance to keep putting
it on and off the beds - you don't want to leave it on during the day if
it's sunny out or it will just add to the lush growth by keeping the
beds even warmer than they would be without it.
Be brave - look at this as an opportunity to buy new irises to replace
the rotted ones.
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA
