oh no...not...rot !

with the wettest summer on record in my area...my TB's and I have had a hard time.

a few weeks ago..I dug up some clumps that had rot. washed off all the squishy parts - soaked in a 10% chlorox solution ( but only for 10 min or so) rinsed...left in the building to dry... they promptly all rotted !

Dug up more today....washed off all rot - soaked in bleach solution for 2 hours - rinsed and now they are drying upside down. am I doing something wrong ?

You can't wash rot off. You have to cut it out, ruthlessly, until all you have left is firm, creamy white flesh. Any discoloring of the flesh, either yellow, brown, or black, indicates the continuing presence of erwinia bacteria in the rhizome. Even after cutting out every bit of rotting flesh you can see and soaking in bleach solution (20 mins is all you need for the soak), sometimes they will still continue to rot. That just means there's erwinia deep in the rz that you didn't get cut out.

Let the rzs dry for several days before replanting. You want to make sure the wounded areas are thoroughly dried up and scabbed over before you replant, or they will just be reinfected. It also wouldn't hurt to replant into fresh soil in a different part of the garden.

Good luck.

Laurie

Thank you Laurie. I have 3 rhizomes drying out there. I "think" only one was infected ( the others came from rotting clumps but had no discoloration or mushy spots adjacent to them). I will cut on the infected one mercilessly and then resoak it and dry.

Charlotte -- I'm so sorry for your disappointment, I knew you were having a hard time with all the rain. Rot it just the biggest pain. I've lost a few clumps during recent weeks because of rot too. One was one I've waited three years to see (it's never bloomed) and now it never will. ROTS!

But Laurie is right, you've got to be relentless even if it means potting them up because they are too small and nurturing them all winter indoors.

Roni

Some of these were clumps from last year.

I planted them to deep - not really deep but by the time the dirt settled and mulch was added they ended up in a little bowl. I planned to reset them but it has been so hot and summer is normally our dry time-not this year.

Most of the ones that I got from you are doing okay. I purchased some gypsum and as I am setting them out I am making sure they are up on just a bit of a mound.

I'll just have to rethink and plow ahead.

Mulch is generally a no-no for bearded irises. It retains too much soil moisture around the rhizomes and rots them. If you feel you must mulch your irises, keep the mulch pushed well back away from the rhizomes.

Laurie

No Laurie, I didnt have the mulch near the iris rhizomes but when I added mulch to the bed - it resulted in the iris being lower - even if 12 inches away from the tuber :)

Common practice by the Iris nuts around here is to rub Comet or Ajax into the cuts before letting them dry. You might want to try that too, as an extra precaution.

very interesting...is the idea "if it doesnt help the rot at least it makes me feel better " :)

Comet and/or Ajax serves the same purpose as the bleach solution soak. Both cleansers are bleach-based and will presumably kill erwinia bacteria.

I guess the idea is that the cleanser dries on the wound and protects it for a little while after it's planted. The wound has to be really clean and you rub it in well. Some swear by it, and I've done it, but I don't have too much trouble with rot.

I havent had alot of trouble until this year...it has rained all summer.

Laurie, thanks for the good reminder. I had put a questionable on back in the garden and today I pulled it out and shaved more off of it. I was 'Ruthlessly". I've never had rot before and I hope that I never have again.

I have had four rhz. rot this year. I never rains in August here but it rained mercilessly for days and days. I pulled the rhz out (completely lost two). My question is Do I need to treat the soil where the rhz came from? Is it safe to plant it back in the same spot?