Re: Germinating iris seeds

In a message dated 96-08-21 17:47:14 EDT, you write:

>Pity I don't know which varieties
>were the parents so I won't be able to register them. Don't know if
>it would be legal for me to do so. If you aare going to start this
>now maybe you should keep them inside  for the winter. Or keep the
>seeds until the spring. Does anyone know how to preserve Japanese
>iris seeds over the winter? Anyway have fun!

An iris seedling can be registered under a name of your choosing without
knowing the name of the parents...in that case "Unknown" is put into the
places on the form for pod parent and/or pollen parent.  BUT...don't rush to
register a seedling unless you have good reason to believe it is a good
cultivar AND it is distinctive.  Grow it for several years and have it guest
at Japanese iris conventions or in gardens of knowledgeable judges
first...get the opinions of AIS judges on its merit.

Regarding Japanese iris seed, in fact almost any iris seed...just take them
out of the pod and store them in a plastic cup over the winter (the seed will
remain viable for several years).  In mid winter, soak them for several days,
changing the water a couple of times. Then put the wet seeds in a handful of
wet sphagnum...make sort of a ball with the seeds in the center.  Put the
sphagnum and seeds in a plastic baggie and tie with a plastic tie.  If you
know the parentage, put a tag on with the parentage.  If you have several
batches of seed, do the same for each.  Then put the baggies in a
refrigerator bag, seal it, and put it in the back of the fridge for 2
months---not in the freezer!  Plant in flats or pots, but cover just slightly
with sand.  Tamp down and keep moist at all times..  When seedlings are about
4 or 5 inches tall you can then transplant.

If you have a cold weather climate, you can also just plant the seeds in
flats in the fall and set the flats outside.  Iris seed has to go through a
cold period of a couple of months to germinate satisfactorly.  Some people
also just plant the seeds directly in the ground in late autumn.  Clarence
Mahan in VA
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