Re: REB: cycle rebloom (was experiments..)

Hi Colleen.
Yup, St. Petersburg definitely did die, tried two different times. It grows in this general area, & I'll bet I could keep it alive in a pot to bring in during the worst abrupt changes in weather.
Two factors are extreme here compared to the much of the rest of surrounding area - dew on foliage half a day or more, persistent cold in frost pocket. Add to that the high variability of temperature and rainfall. Last year's freeze damage was worse than usual, but it happens here to some extent nearly every year. Plants selected in climates where temperatures don't truck along at 75oF for several weeks in midwinter, then suddenly drop to the teens, just don't seem to thrive here.
Put some St. Pete in a pot, grow it outdoors for a few warm weeks, then stick it in the freezer for 24 hrs, & you'll get an idea for what happens ;-)
My seedlings don't <enjoy> that kind of weather, but they do shake it off and get back to growing. Sets up more climate sensitive ones for rot, leaf spot, general malaise and/or death.
Low Ho Silver thrives here, at least now that it's out of the sun in mostly high shade, with some protection from freezing on cold clear windless nights by overhanging tree limbs. Spring bloom only. It's papa BABY BLESSED does fine out in the gravel rows.
Low Ho started out in the gravel rows, nearly died, I nearly got rid of it, then "temporarily" put the tiny surviving scrap in a 4 inch pot in its current location. The plan was to put it in a bigger pot & see if I could revive it enough to take to a club sale.
I forgot about it, it somehow crawled out the bottom of the pot (managed to send increases out the drain hole on one side, then rooted outside), and has made a nice small clump surrounding the empty pot. Three bloomstalks about to open. 

<St Petersberg died!!! I thought that was one that would grow in solid
concrete in all weathers. Extremely vigorous for us. Many of Monty Byers do
well for us, but then our climate might be closer to that of where they were
bred.>
--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.DiscoverET.org/etis>
Region 7, Kentucky-Tennessee <http://www.aisregion7.org>
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