Iris Blue Riband

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I ordered these seeds from a continental seedhouse early last year.

What caught my eye was blue & tetraploid. Pkt cost $5.

Pkt had 10 seeds, planted February 5 in boggy acidic bed. 2 germinated

April, and by fall were full size mutli fan clumps. I expect first bloom

late this spring, they appear to be Siberians.

I was happy with 2 plants, think about it. Go to your local nursery 

and pay 2.50 for a huge clump. Try to mail order, saying you only

want to pay 2.50 including postage for this plant. Isn't gonna happen,

and that's all I paid for them.

Now, it's late October and I'm winterizing the beds. This means

shoving massive amounts of pine straw (the South's #1 mulch)

everywhere. Between the 2 Blue Riband plants I have, I notice

6 more seedlings just coming up, spaced perfectly just as when

I planted them last spring.

I told em, guys, in about 2 weeks it's gonna be cold, and it's

gonna be bad. (I was right). I potted them up in quart containers,

which, in hindsight, was the right move. I did not want to

start my light stand so early, but I didn't want to loose any of these

seedlings. 

Well, it's early February, and as the snow flies, (14 inches so far)

I have 6 HUGE 24"+ Blue Ribands that can't be planted outside

until the end of April or so...If these are spectacular when they

bloom, don't worry, I'll send seeds to Xchange.