Hello folks,

I am in the process of digging up all my iris--this could take
weeks--to wipe out iris borer. I have found borer in almost every
clump. So far they seem to be confined to the leaf and rhizome and
I've found every size from very tiny to big fat ones, but they don't
seem to have progressed to the brown pupa stage in the soil.

Instead of replanting them, I am putting them in pots without soil for
a couple of weeks, to give any that I missed a chance to grow. Then
I'll examine them closely again before re-planting. It shouldn't hurt
them to be out of the ground in a shady place for that long, should
it? I'll give them a light spray with water once in a while if it
doesn't rain.

Do you think that this will break the cycle and render my garden
borer-free? I am in southern Ontario.

Thanks,
Nancy
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

While we don't have them out here in the desert, I know of other people back
east that fight them EVERY YEAR. You can get some ajax cleaner with bleach in it
and cover the rhizme with it, this will protect the rhizome and help kill
anything left behind. In the fall you need to clean up any dead fans and stuff
from around the iris, this is where the moth lays it's eggs for the winter.
There is a bug killer you can use too, but it's a strong and costly one.


--
In This Universe The Night was Falling,The Shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the Stars were still young and the light of morning lingered: and
along the path he once had followed, Man would one day go again.

Arthur C. Clarke "The City & The Stars"

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"Nancy Coffey" wrote in message
news:GWnsxpxsZsJ0-pn2-dyi12JcPIz8u@localhost...
Hello folks,

I am in the process of digging up all my iris--this could take
weeks--to wipe out iris borer. I have found borer in almost every
clump. So far they seem to be confined to the leaf and rhizome and
I've found every size from very tiny to big fat ones, but they don't
seem to have progressed to the brown pupa stage in the soil.

Instead of replanting them, I am putting them in pots without soil for
a couple of weeks, to give any that I missed a chance to grow. Then
I'll examine them closely again before re-planting. It shouldn't hurt
them to be out of the ground in a shady place for that long, should
it? I'll give them a light spray with water once in a while if it
doesn't rain.

Do you think that this will break the cycle and render my garden
borer-free? I am in southern Ontario.

Thanks,
Nancy
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 18:46:46, "Starlord"
wrote:
While we don't have them out here in the desert, I know of other people back
east that fight them EVERY YEAR.

I've had them for years too and have tried to keep them under control
but they really got ahead of me. I saw the damage earlier this year
but had to wait until they were big enough to locate before trying to
kill them.

You can get some ajax cleaner with bleach in it
and cover the rhizme with it, this will protect the rhizome and help kill
anything left behind.

I'll wash them off well and then apply Ajax, to see if it helps.

In the fall you need to clean up any dead fans and stuff
from around the iris, this is where the moth lays it's eggs for the winter.

I do this, but the leaves should be burned or bagged and put out with
the garbage and I haven't always done this.

I was concerned about leaving them out of the ground for 2-3 weeks. I
think they should be OK but I'd like to hear opinions to the contrary.


Thanks,
Nancy

Nancy when you see the tell-tale streaking and wet foliage indicating the
juvenile form of the borer, you can pull the leaf blade through your thumb
and forefinger somewhat firmly and squash the little bugger before he has a
chance to get down to the rhizome and mutate into that horrible worm-thing.

Dave

"Nancy Coffey" wrote in message
news:GWnsxpxsZsJ0-pn2-dzThMPhQe9Ww@localhost...
On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 18:46:46, "Starlord"
wrote:
While we don't have them out here in the desert, I know of other people
back
east that fight them EVERY YEAR.

I've had them for years too and have tried to keep them under control
but they really got ahead of me. I saw the damage earlier this year
but had to wait until they were big enough to locate before trying to
kill them.

You can get some ajax cleaner with bleach in it
and cover the rhizme with it, this will protect the rhizome and help
kill
anything left behind.

I'll wash them off well and then apply Ajax, to see if it helps.

In the fall you need to clean up any dead fans and stuff
from around the iris, this is where the moth lays it's eggs for the
winter.

I do this, but the leaves should be burned or bagged and put out with
the garbage and I haven't always done this.

I was concerned about leaving them out of the ground for 2-3 weeks. I
think they should be OK but I'd like to hear opinions to the contrary.


Thanks,
Nancy

On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 21:28:51, "David J Bockman"
wrote:
Nancy when you see the tell-tale streaking and wet foliage indicating the
juvenile form of the borer, you can pull the leaf blade through your thumb
and forefinger somewhat firmly and squash the little bugger before he has a
chance to get down to the rhizome and mutate into that horrible worm-thing.

I got a few like that today but most had bored down to the rhizome.
Next year I will be more vigilant and watch for the first signs of
damage.

It's going to be a long job!

Nancy

Nancy Coffey wrote:
On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 21:28:51, "David J Bockman"
wrote:

Nancy when you see the tell-tale streaking and wet foliage indicating the
juvenile form of the borer, you can pull the leaf blade through your thumb
and forefinger somewhat firmly and squash the little bugger before he has a
chance to get down to the rhizome and mutate into that horrible worm-thing.


I got a few like that today but most had bored down to the rhizome.
Next year I will be more vigilant and watch for the first signs of
damage.

It's going to be a long job!


I normally don't like killing things, but when I'm cleaning up irises
for replanting and I get one of those huge wiggly pink mature-size
worms, it sure feels good to set it down on a rock and flatten it with
the back of my spade!!!!!

- Alex

On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 14:37:54, Alexander Pensky
wrote:
I normally don't like killing things, but when I'm cleaning up irises
for replanting and I get one of those huge wiggly pink mature-size
worms, it sure feels good to set it down on a rock and flatten it with
the back of my spade!!!!!

I cut them in half with my pruning shears. Same feeling of
satisfaction.

But do you know if I can leave the rhizomes out of the ground for a
week or so, to see if any more appear?

Nancy