Re: CULT - Rocks on Rhizomes
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: CULT - Rocks on Rhizomes
- From: I* S* <i*@ucla.edu>
- Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 23:01:31 -0600 (MDT)
Finally someone in an environment close to mine! I live in the SFV in zone
9-10. My iris's are beautifully green but don't bloom well. Do you have
any suggestions? I'm also in heavy clay.
PS I liked your annotation!
Ida At 12:19 PM 9/17/97 -0600, you wrote:
>John Montgomery wrote:
>>
>>
>> The explanation at the top of this message must be from the poetry book
>> because it defies experience and physics. Place that rock or brick on the
>> soil with no rhizome and it will rise when the ground freezes. The size is
>> not relevant, it will be pushed up.
>> Placing a weight on top of a rhizome may keep the rhizome in contact with
>> the surface of the soil after thawing occurs but the roots will have been
>> shifted in the soil and the fine ones probably will have been broken. This
>> is another reason for cutting the roots off or at least drastically
>> shortening them before planting. It is those big old roots that are as much
>> of a problem as the frost. They act like a ratchet, lifting the rhizome
>> higher each time and preventing a settling back. Give those roots a severe
>> shave before planting and much of that problem will disappear.
>
>Let me see if I can follow the line of logic here. Planting them in the
>late summer/fall causes roots to grow. Established roots in a freeze
>thaw environment cause the rzs to rachet up and heave, tearing the roots
>and rendering them useless. Rzs left on top of the ground did just fine
>next spring.
>
>So why not just wait for the spring thaw to plant them and avoid all
>this worry.
>
>I like the other process. Let them freeze, mulch them to keep them
>frozen (no heaving). Uncover them when spring thaw arrives.
>
>John | "There be dragons here"
> | Annotation used by ancient cartographers
> | to indicate the edge of the known world.
>
>John Jones, jijones@ix.netcom.com
>Fremont CA, USDA zone 8/9 (coastal, bay)
>Max high 95F/35C, Min Low 28F/-2C average 10 days each
>Heavy clay base for my raised beds.
>
>
