Re: HYB:REB:Research:Acceptance

OK, guilty as charged.

> Then the word "SEA POWER" popped up!  Ten years ago SP or "WINTRY SKY"
> didn't exist, yet people still grew what did exist and they were happy with
them.
> Please, I hope all irises don't behave like "SEA POWER" does in my  garden!
> It is gorgeous and I wish it grew well for me!

SEAPOWER does grow here, although I would term it a slow increaser and sparse
bloomer.
I get 2-3 stalks every year and a like number of increases. I included it as an
example of a beautiful
face. It does merit garden space, I use it in breeding also. I grow RIPPLING RIVER
as well. It does not
increase robustly either, but blooms relatively well. Neither would make my list
of "hearty increasers"
or "heavy bloomers".....but both make my list of "wow what a bloom".

I applaud your patience and goals for great form on rebloomers. *Someone* needs to
work on that area. I am
one of those people who walk through my seedling patch and any stalk that lacks
what *I* consider acceptable form,
vigor or beauty is firmly grasped, yanked out and tossed into the compost heap.
Lacking time to do that, if it isn't
flagged for a second look and has a spent bloomstalk at transplant time the
heartless spade strikes and sends it off
to iris mountain as well. I would never know if it reblooms or not. I have
specific goals in mind, and if  a seedling isn't
a positive step in that direction or a pleasant surprise, I do not have time,
space or patience for a second look. I seem
to keep on point of goal better that way.

As far as nothing left to be done....I can see how some can say that. But I look
at the plants I grew in 1990 (mostly mid 70s to mid 80s intros) versus what
bloomed for me in 2006 (mid 90s to current) and immediately rethink the "nothing
left to do" school. Granted, gains in the area of rebloomers are likely to be
larger, since little has been done with them in comparison to once bloomers.

> Some of the most beautiful blooms in my garden this year were the October
> blooms on LUNAR WHITEWASH.  Some stalks perfect and some not so  perfect. If I'm
> able, I'm going to line out a row/clump (dozen or so) rhizomes  of LW this
> coming summer.  What a show!

I don't doubt it. You have a growing season about 2-3 weeks longer that we do
here. I think zone 5 and lower are the real battleground for rebloom acceptance,
because any stalk here after October first is at risk.

Blooming more than once in a season in California does not a rebloomer make.
Growing season there is from 9-12 months. The sun is more intense, if there is
frost it is more likely to be light. We have a lot of humid and overcast weather
in comparison.


I know some of you are working on it, keep on plugging away and you may even
convert me. It just has to meet the criteria of an upper midwest gardener <G>


John Bruce

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index