Re: Re: CULT: anti-borer rhizome treatment?

Linda  --  A 15 - 20 percent dose will kill anything on an iris, I believe.
A 5% solution for 1/2 hour probably will, too.  Hospitals soak such things
as slippers overnight in a 5% chlorox solution.  Instruments are dipped in a
5% solution, then washed.  Some biological labs recommend a 1/2 hour soaking
in a 1/10 chlorox solution to kill all life.  But these practices relate to
disinfecting inanimate objects.  At 15-20% strength, I think 5 minutes will
do it on irises.  I worry about the caustic effect on the plant of letting
it sit longer in the solution.

Betty  --  Yes, I'll bet hanging rhizomes on clotheslines has been done!  I
used to simply prop them up against a bamboo rod sitting on a couple of
bricks in the sun when I didn't have so many to deal with.  Then I read
someone's advice not to let them dry in the sun.  So, though I never noticed
any ill effects from Ol' Sol, I started drying them in the shade.  I am
thoroughly satisfied with my present method, as follows:

I have a light wooden frame 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide with a slat across
the middle and 2-inch chicken wire stretched over all.  (1-inch apertures
are too small for the purpose.) This hangs from a beam in my car port, which
funnels the breeze.  The rhizomes simply hang on the chicken wire and dry.
If a rhizome is too stubby to cling to the chicken wire, just attach it with
a twist-tie.  Or, if you have enough room, slant the frame to the degree
that all the rhizomes will cling.  Linda might find a handy spot in her
barn.

Well, the first shower from Ophelia just hit here, pounding on the roof and
dimming the desk light.  Lasted 5 minutes, and now we have sunshine
gain  --  for a while.  Fortunately, I already have plenty of rhizomes ready
for this weekend's picnic and swap.  --  Griff

zone 7 in Virginia


----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Mann" <lmann@volfirst.net>
To: "iris- talk" <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:16 AM
Subject: [iris] Re: CULT: anti-borer rhizome treatment?


> So, Griff, will the Clorox soak kill borer eggs?  Or just bacteria?
>
> I dunked them this morning in a weaker solution (probably around 5%)
> than you suggest, then got distracted and left them for half an hour or
> so.  Rhizomes accidentally left in Clorox solution overnight turn an odd
> color!  But no apparent ill after-effects.  These are just very clean
> looking now <g>
>
> Should I mix up some 15 to 20% and resoak them, making sure I stay with
> them till time to rinse?
>
> Char - that will also get rid of all the June bug grubs and all those
> pesky ducks riding around on them. <g>
>
> I want something to treat one small batch of rhizomes, before planting.
>
> <Be sure to get the long term White
>                    Grub Control.
>                    Char, New Berlin, WI>
>
> --
> Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
> East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
> American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
> talk archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
> photos archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>
> online R&I <http://www.irisregister.com>
>
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