CULT: Pogons: Planting Depths

In a message dated 9/12/05 10:46:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
gschubert@earthlink.net writes:

<< How about irises that tolerate having their rhizomes planted a couple 
inches deep, the most likely naive thing to do? >>

My experience has been that bearded irises will seek their own level, 
assuming they live long enough after initial planting to get new roots down well. 

In sandy soil and bright sun, they may pull themselves below the surface by 
several inches, where they will thrive. In heavy clay, I have observed them 
rise. 

I believe in severe climates planting like "a duck on the water"---odd, this 
recurring fowl thing--  the traditonally offered standard, is also likely to 
lead to problems, which may include frost heave, rhizomes which are actually 
frozen and so die, and, in some few circumstances, heat killed, or cooked 
rhizomes.

I personally experienced a cooked rhizome when a bad heat spell followed 
resetting here. I had a splendid rhizome of 'Helen Collingwood', arguably the most 
gardenable pogon of the twentieth century, and one of the loveliest, a 
rhizome raised by me, cook to mush in a matter of hours. Now, I always cover my 
rhizomes when I plant, typically to a depth of about one inch. They sort 
themselves out.  

None of which is to say that planting depth does not matter or good things 
follow planting at inappropriate  depths, but if the drainage is good, this 
error may not invariably be fatal. As with anything else, what is best depends on 
where you are gardening, and the quirks of the cultivar, as observed with an 
enlightened eye. 

There is not much you can do about gardening naivte so profound that in 
planting a bearded iris the green foliage would be buried several inches, except, 
of course, to try diligently to educate as the occasion arises. 

I certainly don't think working to accommodate such ignorance should be 
anyone's breeding goal.  

Or were you just joking, George? 

Cordially,

Anner Whitehead
Richmond VA USA USDA Zone 7

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