Wow, guess I haven't been here for awhile. There were quite a few responses to my post and I guess I am not the only one with this problem.i posted the following at DG and will repost it here. Just kind of an update:
I finally figured out that scorch is the name of the condition that is causing a die off of some of my iris plants. The first sign seems to be a brown dead leaf in the middle of a fan, and when you dig up the plant in an advanced state of scorch, you find that the roots have dried up although the rhizome is still hard and looks fine. I have seen this other years, but didn't really know what it was.
I had some irises that bloomed gloriously this year, and then they just quit growing. I thought it was just the drought so I have watered them a couple times this summer, but it didn't help the ones with scorch. When I dug them it smelled a bit like mushrooms? So I am wondering if it is some kind of fungus maybe. For now I am digging up the ones with this condition and cutting out any of the parts that are still good. New roots will form at the growing edge of a rhizome. So I am sort of experimenting with the sickies to see if there is anything to arrest the disease. Well at least it has cut back on my need for new iris beds!
It's kind of amusing how every year seems to bring something new to deal with as far as irises go! Just as I conquer one problem another rears up! Well guess I will check the group on facebook too. Thanks everyone...
