Re: HYB: help - chilled seeds, germination

Linda -- Why not divide each lot of seeds in half, leave one half to germinate (or not) in the refrigerator, and after soaking and rinsing the rest, pot them right away and leave them outside till spring, no matter what the temperature? I never change the water while soaking the seeds -- just soak 'em for at least 5 days, then give them a good, hard rinsing and stick im in the pots. -- Griff
----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Mann" <lmann@lock-net.com> 
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 7:06 PM
Subject: [iris] HYB: help - chilled seeds, germination
One more cross has started to germinate in the fridge. The seeds have all been in the fridge for 5 months now.
For those of you who have experimented with refrigerator chilling, how much longer should I leave them in the fridge?
Or should I pot the rest and put them outdoors to experience intermittent chilling?
If I do that, I will probably bring them into the sun porch if it gets into the low 20s F or colder.
If it's just cumulative chilling that triggers germination, I could leave them in the fridge, but if the remaining genetic mixes are waiting for some alternating temperatures, they might not ever germinate.
Plus these guys may need to get a good rinsing to remove additional inhibitors un-related to chilling. 

What to do...
Maybe I should soak them all for a few days with changes of water, then put them back in the fridge for a few more weeks, then pot them?? A lot of fussing around, but only about 5 pods left. That's manageable. 
--
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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