| Author | Content |
Lindawalkabout
Holden, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
11:26 AM Post #4629391
| I was just looking at my Iris patch a few days ago and wondering what I should do, its been about 5 or six years that I planted them and just left them alone. Maybe I should start to divide and look at them, I mean really look at them 8 ). Critter your artical will help me know what the heck I'm doin.lol , thanks for the pics and links, lots of info : ) |
LTilton
Glen Ellyn, IL
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
11:46 AM Post #4629489
| Excellent advice about iris borer control!
I do constant battle against those things. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
11:50 AM Post #4629519
| Glad you found it helpful! I've only been growing irises for a few years, so I was glad to get expert advice to be sure I'd covered the basics -- both for myself & for the article.
Linda, dividing should wait until later this summer, probably around the end of July in your area. Check my first article about irises for some information about "mother" and "daughter" rhizomes that will help when you're dividing your clumps. |
Lindawalkabout
Holden, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
11:58 AM Post #4629558
| Yes I will Critter, TY |
Seandor
Springfield, MA
(Zone 6a)
March 06, 2008
01:34 PM Post #4629892
| Thanks, critter! |
MaryE
Baker City, OR
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
02:02 PM Post #4629960
| A good article with lots of links to follow up information, thank you! I have iris with little holes in the rhizomes but I have now eliminated iris borers as the pest, and instead need to look for information on wireworms. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
02:05 PM Post #4629973
| When I was first dividing some irises I'd been given, I was really worried about the little holes I saw in some of the older rhizomes... They were just riddled with them! Then somebody explained to me that those were just where the roots had been, perfectly normal to see on old "mother" rhizomes. You can replant the mother and it may continue to produce more daughter rhizomes, or you can just break off the larger daughter rhizomes and replant those. |
Indygardengal
Brownstown, IN
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
02:07 PM Post #4629978
| I sometimes fine spots on my iris foliage and am wondering what causes that kind of damage.
Thanks for some great information, I have to admit tha I don't always know quite what to do for my irises.
Veronica |
MaryE
Baker City, OR
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
02:20 PM Post #4630022
| Root holes! Whoda thunk? Surely not me. Thanks. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
02:24 PM Post #4630040
| If you want to post a picture (you need to start a new thread... I think only the first post on an article response thread can have a photo), I'll see if those holes are the same as what I was seeing... but I'll bet that's what you're looking at. |
Indygardengal
Brownstown, IN
(Zone 5b)
March 06, 2008
04:05 PM Post #4630385
| Now I know what those holes are. I thought they were bug or worm holes but they always look so neat and clean... I learn so much here |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
04:25 PM Post #4630428
| I *knew* I was going to forget to mention something in the main article! LOL I'm glad it came up here. |
oriole
Mifflintown, PA
(Zone 6a)
March 06, 2008
04:59 PM Post #4630578
| Thanks, lots of great info. |
bthyme
Buena Vista, VA
March 06, 2008
06:08 PM Post #4630802
| Would systemic rose food such as Bayer's be effective against borers and wire worms? Since roses are heavy feeders and this article tells me that irises are not, I suppose the amounts would have to be modest. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
06:50 PM Post #4630964
| For what it's worth, the most effective (still on the market) chemical treatment for borers seems to be imidacloprid. You might get some of the borers with a general systemic (and I don't know about wireworms), but getting the larvae while they're young seems to be the best bet.
Some people do say that irises are heavy feeders, but other people tell me that over-fertilizing is far worse than under-fertilizing... and I've seen gorgeous stands of irises in clay soil that hasn't had attention in years. Granted, those were probably older varieties (some of the modern hybrids seem more picky to me), but still that argues against heavy fertilizing being necessary. Soil testing is a good idea. :-) |
planolinda
Plano, TX
March 06, 2008
07:20 PM Post #4631061
| a few iris bloomed over the weekend--now it is snowing!! a lot! all of my iris are up and out of the ground--i wonder if it will hurt them-- |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
07:50 PM Post #4631165
| Oh, goodness! I think if you've got any with fat buds, you might cut them and bring them in so you'll get to see the blooms... I seem to remember that the buds and blooms will freeze if it gets too cold, although the foliage and the plants should be just fine.
I got outside for a bit this afternoon and managed to clear out about half my iris bed. Tomorrow I'll pick up some Grub-Ex to put down. :-) |
planolinda
Plano, TX
March 06, 2008
08:02 PM Post #4631219
| crazy weather--up to 70 last weekend and now heavy snow!! when it was 70 i was working in the yard and had some very big weeds--i used my shovel to get some and up came what i thought was a big rock--it was one of the turtles that live in the yard hibernating--i was so scared that i had hurt him so i layed him on the flower bed and continued to work in the yard--he finally came out of his shell and walked off--poor guy will have to get back in the ground again--he must be confused! |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 06, 2008
08:04 PM Post #4631233
| ROFLOL! I've dug up plenty of worms and startled an occasional toad or snake... but I've never dug up a turtle. I'm glad he was OK, and I'm sure he's happily dug in again somewhere in that nice loose soil you created for him. :-) |
planolinda
Plano, TX
March 06, 2008
08:12 PM Post #4631281
| we've had turtles living in our yard for at least 10 years and are attached to them in a strange sort of way--we don't take care of them -they are on their own and sometimes we don't see one for months--but we always get excited when we do see one! |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM
(Zone 5a)
March 07, 2008
02:25 AM Post #4632794
| Thanks, critterologist for the great advice on iris borers, fertilization, etc. After all the stuff I have heard about the death of bees, I won't be using imidacloprid, not that I ever did. There are good manual ways to get rid of iris borers. No need to kill off the helpful insects in order to save our irises.
Loved your article and was happy to finally see a picture of you. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 07, 2008
11:49 AM Post #4633737
| You're right -- there are alternatives to imidacloprid. I mentioned them and included links for more information as well as links about imidacloprid use. Beneficial nematodes and squashing borer larvae by hand seem to be the most promising nonchemical controls. As with any pesticide, you should consider alternatives and weigh the pro's and con's before using it. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM
(Zone 5a)
March 08, 2008
01:15 AM Post #4636723
| I have no experience in this department, but from what I read, if one watches the iris, one can see where the iris borer enters on the leaf and where it begins boring down to the rhizome. From what I hear, all you have to do is grab the leaf below where the borer has come in between thumb and forefinger and move it right up the leaf until one has squashed the borer. It doesn't even dirty your fingers!
I like this method because imidacloprid.seems to be such a threat to the bees which we so desperately need. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 08, 2008
01:22 AM Post #4636743
| I'm not sure they're that easy to spot... I've read that they can be eliminated by hand, but that if you think they're in your irises, you need to go through them leaf by leaf, running each leaf through your fingers to squash any larvae. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM
(Zone 5a)
March 08, 2008
02:08 AM Post #4636846
| Yes, that is what I have heard as well. If you have a huge number of iris it is a lot of work. On the other hand, I could do about 100 per day, I think. Anyhow, just a thought. |
figaro52
Oak Lawn, IL
(Zone 5a)
March 10, 2008
11:59 PM Post #4649267
| Thanks for such a timely article. I've noticed some heaving of newly planted rhizomes during the winter even though the roots tend to be firmly anchored. I'm not so worried after reading your article. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 11, 2008
01:29 AM Post #4649497
| I was outside just this afternoon, stepping on a few rhizomes that looked like they needed to be planted more firmly. (I didn't really stomp on them, just nudged them down into the soil/mud with my toe.) I'm glad you found useful info about something other than borers in the article... :-) |
