My forehead is warm... could it be

16 years ago

SPRING FEVER?

We have had rain rain glorious rain (I don't live in a slide area) in Southern California. It hasn't been this good since 2005, the miracle year. Most of my irises are starting to grow fresh new leaves now, and unfortunately, some are rotting from so much rain. This has never happened to me before. I scraped away some soil from the rhizomes, but they are already planted high and I don't want to expose the roots.

Any ideas?

I got a new camera this year- I'll try to learn how to turn it over the course of the next month or so so that I can post some photos.

Renee

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Comments (4)

tugbrethil
16 years ago
Clay soil? Apply gypsum and humates--they flocculate the soil, and feed the earthworms.

If the rot isn't too bad, it can be treated with 4 tablespoons of cinnamon in a gallon of water mixed with the label recommended amount of Yucca extract--the cinnamon acts as a fungicide/bactericide, and the Yucca helps deliver it into the roots and rhizomes. Chemical fungicides such as Captan may be slightly more effective, but the older I get, the less I like applying poison to the soil.

Hope this helps,
Kevin : )
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
16 years ago
There is no such thing as Spring Fever in California. You only have two seasons: summer and pre-summer.

This year, you have to live in the North East to qualify as Spring-Deprived. Obama has set up a commission to develop a Winter-Recovery Stimulus for gardeners in this part of the country.

By Canadian standards, our winter wasn't that severe. Its just been continuously cold and windy since early December. Not to mention record levels of snow. Our typical winter has lots of warm periods which makes the experience livable.

Everyone plans to get out and celebrate this weekend because the forecast calls for temperatures rising to the mid forties. No one can remember the last time we saw such a heat wave.
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hosenemesis
Original Author
16 years ago
"This year, you have to live in the North East to qualify as Spring-Deprived. Obama has set up a commission to develop a Winter-Recovery Stimulus for gardeners in this part of the country."

You slay me, Harryshoe. I heartily approve of this use of Federal Stimulus Funds.

Thanks for the tip, Kevin. I think I'll just take a serrated knife to the rotted sections and hope for the best.

Renee
iris_gal
16 years ago
Horror of horrors. I had one rhizome with rot once and I'll never forget the smell and my heart sickness over it. Maybe 9 years ago. I lose more to drought!

This rain is amazing!! Almost 30 inches for us and we're grateful to get 16 inches.

I have heard of putting a layer of sand between the rhizome and soil. I tried gypsum in my clay to no avail. After 2 years I found out there are certain types of clay with which it will work and ours isn't one of them. The technical details were beyond me.