Re: Iris Refrigeration


On Sat, 12 Apr 1997, SHARLYN-ROCHA wrote:

>   Can anyone tell me what condition the bud should be 
> in at the time of cutting?
>  Should the spathe be three quarters up with just a bit of color showing?
>  Or should the spathe be gone, full color, but no swelling?
> Or should the bud be in full color, swelling and beginning to open?



	First of all you need to remove all shelving from your
refrigerator and make sure it is set from 40 - 45o.


	Then take a walk through the garden and spot show stalks that will
have more than one bloom to display.  Look for stalks with swollen
buds...I mean really puffy and about to open. Cut those stalks and place
them in a bottle of water that has a little Sprite or 7-Up in it.  You can
refrigerate stalks in this stage for up to about ten days.  Some may go
ahead and open in the fridge so give them plenty of room to do this.

	The night before the show remove the stalks from the refrigerator
and let them 'bloom' naturally in a warm room.  Be careful handling them
while they are still cold because they are brittle and can be damaged
easily.  Also, fingerprints seem to really show with a cold stalk, but you
can remove that with a damp make-up brush later on.

	Of course, the really lucky folks are those who have friends who
have a florist shop with ideal refrigeration.

	I had BOOGIE WOOGIE refrigerated about ten days when I won Queen
of Show in 1994.  It showed no signs of being refrigerated that long and
it held up beautifully during the show on Saturday.  I brought it back
home and it was still in perfect condition on Monday Morning.

	I hear judges point to some in the show and say that one was
refrigerated.  Well, if you let it touch something in the fridge and it
gets bruised, then you can tell.  But, I had a judge accuse me of
refrigerating one that I had just cut and brought inside.  I don't think
anybody knew that BOOGIE WOOGIE had been in the cold that long for nobody
commented other than to say, "It looks so fresh!"  If you are careful,
nobody can tell but you that a stalk has been refrigerated!!!

	Some stalks refrigerate well but others do not.  I guess the ones
with the heaviest substance can stand refrigeration the longest so look at
the substance when you are out in the garden trying to select.

	Hope this helps and you win. 


	Walter Moores
	Enid Lake, MS 7/8 where we are expecting 33o tomorrow....hope this
cloud cover protects us from frost.
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