By Katarina
Slovakia 
Why some tubers should be soaked before planting?
March is usually the season for planting tubers of perennials. Does somebody know, why some plants have recommendations on labels to soak their tubers before planting and some not?
Why is that so important?
And what about these tubers:
Iris germanica
Anemones
Delphinium
Thank you very much for your kind assistance :-)
22 Feb, 2014
Answers
I see. Thank you for this interesting opinion. Well, we have had dry winter this year, at least we call it like that as we didn t have piles of snow, but the soil is wet. So you think I do not need to soak for instance Anemones tubers?
22 Feb, 2014
You can soak them as it is interesting to see the Anemone tuber swell but it will naturally do that from moisture in the garden soil.
Delphinium tends to be supplied as bare root - I would not soak them at all but bury them lightly with a potting mix.
22 Feb, 2014
Thank you very much, Botanic.
22 Feb, 2014
soaking helps remove the dormancy hormones [ cant for the life of me remember their name!] allowing them to start into growth. If they have been in the ground all year they have slowly lost the chemicals. If kept in dry storage the soaking helps kick start the process. Moisture is need for the transport of chemicals through the tuber /seed too as all transport is done in solution.
22 Feb, 2014
Hi Seaburngirl, but what about wet soil and spring rains? For instance today I planted tubers without soaking them before that, because the soil is wet and there will be some showers this weekend. What do you think?
22 Feb, 2014
Dormancy hormones on bare roots and anemone tubers? I think you are confusing them with seed.
23 Feb, 2014
Aha.
23 Feb, 2014
No I'm not Botanic, there are growth promoters and restrictors present in tubers/etc so they don't grow at the wrong time of year. I remember having to study conditions that encouraged/inhibited growth in both seeds and other perenating organs as part of my degree.
As for plants like delphiniums the point of soaking a root ball is to ensure the plant has a good water content/ balance before planting. Planting often damages the fine roots and the root hairs that the plant uses to take up water.
If the soil is wet then the plant tissue will take water up Katrina.
23 Feb, 2014
Thank you very much to both of you for your points of view. My God, I am speaking in rhymes.
23 Feb, 2014
It comes from America where they tend to have dry winters and spring. There is no need to soak any 'tuber' in the UK or most of Europe as we tend to have wet springs as they will get all the moisture they need naturally.
22 Feb, 2014