Re: CULT: "Shaving" roots

From: Ellen Gallagher <e_galla@moose.ncia.net>

	Bill Shear wrote in part:

>I performed a brief experiment this fall with a group of very dry rhizomes,
>on which most of the foliage had whithered.  On ten of them, I removed all
>the roots before planting, and on another ten I left the old roots on.

>The "unshaved" plants anchored faster, developed new foliage earlier, and
>are at this writing about 50% larger in foliage fan size than the "shaved"
>plants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	I remember Walter Moores (in Mississippi) and others saying they
	shaved the roots before planting and I wondered then and now what
	part the climate plays in all this.

	I do not shave roots *but* I do trim them to within 1 1/2" - 2"
	for ease of planting. I have received rhizomes from a supplier
	that essentially had no visible roots and they did just fine
	(harder to plant tho'). Keith Keppel sent me some this year with
	roots longer than 5" and so did others. They are now firmly rooted
	and showing green - they were trimmed before planting of course.

	I grow a significant number of MDBs and find that they need more
	anchoring before 'taking off'. I lost at least three after planting
	in one of our windy, rainy spells. I will not even trim MDBs before
	planting next year.

	TBs are not my primary class of iris, I have under 30 TBs but I
	chose them for the prime spot in my new display garden since they
	are so showy. :)

	Cheers,

	Ellen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ellen Gallagher  / e_galla@moose.ncia.net
Northern New Hampshire, USA   /   Zone 3a
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/sibrob
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