You're welcome! I'd try to keep them balanced ss close to cubic volume as possible. If the roots are only 20" long, the top should be about the same. If the root ball is the size of a fifteen gallon can, the top mass should be about the same. Anything left substantially larger than that is likely to die back due to lack of support from the roots anyway. You often can't try to balance tops and roots by gauge of cane/root as they don't all match when growing. But, if you consider cubic mass supporting similar cubic mass, it should work pretty easily. If possible, she could use a nursery can with the bottom cut out to slip over the plant and fill with mulch/soil, etc., to insulate the plant to keep it darker and cooler until new growth shows from the tops of the canes. Like mounding a bare root with soil after planting, you'd leave the top few inches of the canes protruding from the soil so you have them as your barometers of what's happening with the plant. Hopefully, they'll remain green and plump until the plant has begun setting out roots in the new location. Once it's absorbing more moisture than it needs just to remain alive, it should begin pushing new growth buds to form new leaves and canes. When that occurs, you can begin removing the mulch inside the can gradually as the plant develops. I wouldn't do it all at once unless it's raining or a prolonged period of damp, cool weather with periods of rain or regular fogs. The extra moisture in the air during those periods do very much the same thing as keeping the plant mounded. If it's too large to use a suitably sized nursery can, perhaps a cylinder of card board or other readily available material can be constructed to serve as a temporary cylinder around the plant? I like to use cylinders of this type for newly planted bare roots or severely pruned transplants so it is about the height of the plant's canes once planted. If they stick out of it a few inches, it should be OK unless the weather is really hot, dry and windy, then you'll probably have more die back than you might have if you'd been able to keep more of the plant covered. When I've planted the bare roots in cans first, I'll take a second can of the same size, cut out the bottom and insert it over the plant into the bottom can before filling the bottom can fully so they are stacked enough to keep them together once filled with soil. The top cylinder permits you to water the whole pot at once, keeping all of the soil damp and the plant cool, dark and damp. Creating a cylinder of the appropriate size to fit over the planted plant will permit you to do the same. If that's not possible, using Lyn G's idea of covering the plant with old tee shirts and keeping them damp when possible, will help keep the plant hydrated better than just allowing it to remain fully exposed to the air, sun and heat. You could also use fabric of other types...old sheets, blankets, etc. I wouldn't use plastics because they'd trap too much heat and possibly cook the plant, but breathable fabric, kept hosed down to remain as damp as you can during the hotter parts of the day will help. She'll see how the plant is doing from the exposed cane tips. A little browning is to be expected, but that should stabilize and the plant should begin growing on its own in a relatively short time. As long as the site has suitable drainage, the extra water shouldn't really be an issue. Just think how much water it could get from a heavy rain. And, you don't have to flood the fabric, but just wet it down to add moisture. I'd think using a lighter colored fabric in full sun would work better, too, because of absorbed heat being lower than it would with a dark color. I'm sure you or she can figure out other ways of accomplishing conditions similar to these, using the space and resources you have available. If the plant is going to a cooler, damper, foggier climate, these efforts won't be as important. If it goes to a hotter, more arid, sunnier area, they're even more necessary, until the plant is growing well on its own. You honestly have to think about it as you would a new bare root. Neither has sufficient root system under them to support the plant in extreme conditions, so you have to improvise to provide them what they require to keep them from drying out before setting out new roots. Warmth and light are the enemies here. Cooler, darker and damper help much more. If the whole thing is really large, make several cylinders of cardboard, the lowest being the largest. Place it around the plant and fill about half to two-thirds with the mulch/soil being used, then place the next smaller one which will fit around the plant inside, around the plant. Fill that one and continue building a circular "pyramid", like staking cake layers, until you've covered as much of the plant as you want or are able to. By inserting the upper cylinders into the soil of the lower ones, the water percolating through the soil from top watering should absorb into the soil rather than running out from under each layer and washing out of them. I hope I've made sense and helped give you other ideas which may work well for you. Good luck to you both! Kim

LOL mike. :D I'm sure your mites were the same as mine! Two-spot spider mites are the bane of everyone! Predators must be used correctly. The most common and effective predator mites are tropical. They like high humidity (70% to 90%) and temps (80~ F). If you can't provide them with these conditions, you have to go for a different species of mite, and up until recently the other species were hard to find and even more expensive than the tropical ones. You see, the sucking mites gain their moisture from the plants they're biting. The predators don't have that moisture source and can dry out fast. You should also buy many predators and blitz the mites for fast control. 1000 predators for 4 trees at the first detection of mites was definitely overkill, but I prefer overkill to underkill. The ones I used last winter were from Nature's Control. They sell a "triple threat" package with three different species, on the theory that at least one species can match your environment. I bought a humidity meter and turned up the humidifier and the thermostat for about three weeks, and that seemed to be long enough to do it. The predators I applied to the raspberries this summer came from Evergreen Growers Supply. I bought 2500 Amblyseius fallacis and 100 Stethorus punctillum and released them in the yard. The Stethorus punctillum is a tiny (and unbelievably cute) black ladybird beetle, while the Amblyseius fallacis is a type of predatory mite that can handle a low-humidity situation, like what I had in the back yard. They don't work as fast as the tropical predators, which is why I used a ton and supplemented them with the beetles, but in theory they can establish a colony in the yard that can survive a Kentucky winter and depress pest mites next year, too. Indoors, in a controlled environment where I can raise the humidity easily, I would go for the tropical predators, which work fast and are cool to watch. If you are concerned about mites, they would probably work well in your greenhouse!

The procedure for preparing iris plants for shipment from one garden to another varies according to the iris variety being shipped. There are essentially four basic categories of irises: bearded (bearded species and cultivars, arils, and arilbreds), crested (cristata, tectorum, japonica, etc.), beardless (Siberian, Japanese, Louisiana, etc.), and bulbous (Dutch, juno, reticulata, etc.). Bearded irises are shipped dry. These irises can be moved at any time during the growing season, though they are traditionally divided about 6 weeks after bloom. It's important to get them replanted into their new garden at least 6-8 weeks before freezing weather to give them time to root in adequately before winter. Use a spade or fork to dig up your iris clumps and wash them off well with a hose until you have removed all dirt and can easily see where the rhizomes (rzs) are attached to one another. With a sharp knife, cut through the attachments (or you can break them apart with your hands, but a sharp knife will make a smaller, cleaner wound). Inspect the rzs thoroughly. Discard any rhizomes that are soft or mushy or show any other signs of disease, any that do not have viable roots, and any that are just too tiny to bother with. Many folks also discard any rzs that have already bloomed (they will not bloom again, though they may grow additional increases). Remove any dead, spotted, or unhealthy (brown or yellow) leaves, and wipe off any insects on the remaining leaves. Cut the leaf fan back just enough to accommodate the size of your shipping box without having to bend or fold the leaves. Snip off any dead roots but leave the plump roots intact. As a preventative measure to avoid transmitting any plant pests or diseases to your trader's garden, soak the rzs in a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water for 20 minutes, then rinse in clear water. Dry the leaves and, using a permanent marker, write the name or description of the plant on a single, central leaf. Avoid writing across several leaves or on the outer leaves of a fan. As leaves dry, they tend to separate from each other, and the outer ones shrivel and die. After you have separated, inspected, cleaned, and labeled your rzs, lay them out in a shady, dry area for a couple days to allow the cut wounds to scab over and the plants to dry thoroughly. It is extremely important to ship only completely dry plants, as any dampness (even moisture retained between the leaves) can result in mold and rot developing in transit. Once your plants are completely dry, pack them loosely into a box using a minimal amount of a breathable and absorbable packing material (excelsior, dry wood shavings, crumpled or shredded newspaper - avoid styrofoam packing materials). Punch holes in the box to allow good air circulation, and your irises are ready to travel to their new home. Crested irises may be shipped either dry for larger species such as Iris tectorum, or with the rhizomes and roots kept damp for smaller species such as Iris cristata. These irises can be moved at any time during the growing season, but it's probably best to do so immediately after bloom is finished. It's important to get them replanted into their new garden at least 6-8 weeks before freezing weather to give them time to root in adequately before winter. Use a spade or fork to dig up your iris clumps and wash them off well with a hose until you have removed all dirt and can easily see where the rhizomes (rzs) are attached to one another. Depending on the size of the rzs, you may wish to divide them either into small clumps or individual rhizomes. With a sharp knife, cut through the attachments. Place rhizomes of small crested species into a bucket of water to prevent them from drying out. Inspect the rzs thoroughly. Discard any rhizomes that are mushy or show any other signs of disease and any that do not have viable roots. Many folks also discard any rzs that have already bloomed (they will not bloom again, though they may grow additional increases). Remove any dead, spotted, or unhealthy (brown or yellow) leaves, and wipe off any insects on the remaining leaves. Cut the leaf fan of larger crested species back just enough to accommodate the size of your shipping box without having to bend or fold the leaves. Snip off any dead roots but leave the plump roots intact. Dry the leaves and, using a permanent marker, write the name or description of the plant on a single, central leaf. Avoid writing across several leaves or on the outer leaves of a fan. As leaves dry, they tend to separate from each other, and the outer ones shrivel and die. After you have separated, inspected, cleaned, and labeled your plants, wrap the rhizomes and roots of smaller crested species in damp (not wet) paper towels or peat moss. Place the wrapped rhizomes and roots in a plastic baggie or plastic wrap, securing snugly around the base of the leaves. Pack the prepared plants loosely into a box using a breathable and absorbable packing material (excelsior, dry wood shavings, crumpled or shredded newspaper - avoid styrofoam packing materials). Punch holes in the box to allow good air circulation. Ship crested irises to arrive as quickly as possible to avoid having the roots and rhizomes of smaller species dry out in transit. Beardless irises are shipped with the rhizomes and roots kept damp. These irises should be transplanted only in early spring or early fall when air temperatures are moderate. It's important to get them replanted into their new garden at least 6-8 weeks before freezing weather to give them time to root in adequately before winter. Use a spade or fork to dig up your iris clumps and wash them off well with a hose until you have removed all dirt and can easily see where the rhizomes (rzs) are attached to one another. Depending on the size of the rzs, you may wish to divide them either into small clumps or individual rhizomes. With a sharp knife, cut through the attachments. Place all rhizomes into a bucket of water to prevent them from drying out. Inspect the rzs thoroughly. Discard any rhizomes that are mushy or show any other signs of disease, any that do not have viable roots, and any that are just too tiny to bother with. Many folks also discard any rzs that have already bloomed (they will not bloom again, though they may grow additional increases). Remove any dead, spotted, or unhealthy (brown or yellow) leaves, and wipe off any insects on the remaining leaves. Cut the leaf fan back just enough to accommodate the size of your shipping box without having to bend or fold the leaves. Snip off any dead roots but leave the plump roots intact. Dry the leaves and, using a permanent marker, write the name or description of the plant on a single, central leaf. Avoid writing across several leaves or on the outer leaves of a fan. As leaves dry, they tend to separate from each other, and the outer ones shrivel and die. After you have separated, inspected, cleaned, and labeled your plants, soak them overnight in a bucket of clean water to make sure they are fully hydrated for their trip to their new home. After soaking, wrap the rhizomes and roots (not the leaves) in a wet paper towel, damp peat moss, or hydrated polymer crystals. Place the wrapped rhizomes and roots in a plastic baggie or plastic wrap, securing snugly around the base of the leaves. Pack the prepared plants loosely into a box using a breathable and absorbable packing material (excelsior, dry wood shavings, crumpled or shredded newspaper - avoid styrofoam packing materials). Punch holes in the box to allow good air circulation. Ship beardless irises to arrive as quickly as possible to avoid having their roots dry out in transit. Upon receipt, beardless irises should be soaked in a bucket of fresh water overnight before planting. Bulbous irises are shipped dry. Most bulbous irises are handled similarly to tulips or daffodils. Dig dormant, mature bulbs in summer after the foliage has died down. Rinse off all soil and remove dead foliage. Inspect bulbs for signs of disease or insect damage, keeping only healthy bulbs for trading and replanting. Juno irises require a bit of extra care as they have both bulbs and fleshy roots. Care should be taken to dig these irises with the fleshy roots intact and to package them carefully to avoid bruising either bulbs or roots in transit. Allow bulbs to dry for a couple days before packaging for shipping. Pack them loosely into a box using a breathable and absorbable packing material (excelsior, dry wood shavings, crumpled or shredded newspaper - avoid styrofoam packing materials). Punch holes in the box to allow good air circulation. Bulbs should be replanted in mid to late autumn.

If you're considering a major remodel in the next few years, then I wouldn't want to build in any thing permanent since it'd just be wasted time and money soon enough. I'd look at free standing or ready-to-install items to meet whatever vital needs you have now . . . For instance, I put in $200 worth of Gundtal IKEA shelving in my kitchen 2 years prior to demolition and remodel. That stuff was 1) cheap 2) met my desperate need for increased storage and 3) totally reusable in any other place I want it. I'd seek some similar solution for your need. So, if it's workspace -- a freestanding island/cart. If it's food storage, a free standing cheap cabinet or shelving or adorable hutch. Etc. For the oven space, I'd definitely live with what you have for the time being. Why change ovens? You aren't increasing your size, and you are committing yourself to an oven for the big remodel. Also, you might find you need new wiring for a new microwave type oven, which won't be cheap IME. I'd live with what you've got, and then, if you really need more cooking space, get a nice large toaster oven for overflow baking. That will be very convenient during the actual remodel when you are truly without a kitchen for some time. I've been baking (for a large family) in a large toaster oven since May . . . It is horrible, but we've survived. (New ovens are finally supposed to be installed next week.) Your space certainly looks like you have room and layout options for a total remodel . . . but you're looking for temporary solutions . . . I'd start with looking for a hutch (or worktable/cart with shelving installed on the wall) that would fit in the current informal dining space adjacent to your kitchen. IKEA has lots of great stuff for this sort of thing. This post was edited by szruns on Fri, Feb 6, 15 at 18:49