Re: RE: Dark Top plicata IB

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Chuck,

 

Very interesting color pattern.  Not all that pretty but interesting! 

 

Epicenter grows OK for me in Colorado.  We went from 80 a few days ago to 28 this morning with heavy frost.   It isn't uncommon in the winter time to be at 20 below and sunny and 60 a few days later so maybe it isn't a cold hardiness gene it lacks but cultural condition that they don't like.  Or soil pH?  So I'm rethinking the hardiness effect on many varieties.   I  thought certain varieties wouldn't grow in Colorado due to our cold climate.  I noticed this year with the extra moisture we received during June and July, varieties which I was about to give up on because they just wouldn't increase put on tremendous growth.  We are considered a semi-arid climate and normally don't receive much more than 12 to 15 inches of moisture for the whole year.  This year during June and July we received about 7 inches of rain and the Iris drank it up without any rot or leaf spot.   Varieties which I thought didn't like Colorado due to a lack of cold hardiness gene now I will consider growing on due to the cultural condition I had put them under.  I just need to supplement with more moisture during their critical growing period.   For what it is worth.

 

Bob in Denver

Iris4U Iris Garden

 

----- Original Message -----
From: irischapman@aim.com
To: iris-photos@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, October 9, 2009 7:04:46 AM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain
Subject: [iris-photos] RE: Dark Top plicata IB