Re: Pacific Coast Natives

Dana Brown wrote:
> 
> So, how cold is too cold?  I have 6 hybrids on order from Abe over at
> Stockton Iris Gardens.  That reminds me I need to call him and find out
> where my order is.  My plan is to pot these up and let them spend the
> winter in the shop.  It has one wall of fiberglass and is not heated but
> when it got down to 15 and then 16 degrees last week the shop never
> dropped below @ 40 degrees.  If they live through the winter then I will
> move them outdoors for the spring.  I currently have geraniums and an
> amarillas wintering in there and so far they are doing okay.  Our
> winters and our summers are both pretty dry with most of our moisture in
> the April-May, September-October time period.  What do you think my
> chances are?

Dana,

The following in not meant to discourage you.  And I applaude you for
trying something different and taking the effort to do so.  However, the
new PCN's on the market are flamboyant and gorgeous and thoroughly
untested outside their narrow microclimate.  John Weiler of Fresno,
California orders many new varieties each year grows them and weeds out
the ones which will not make it in the the central valley of
California.  I believe only 20% survive in his garden after 3 years and
this is in California!  If you truly want to be successful (and maybe
you will find a good grower in the ones you ordered) with PCN's, perhaps
you should contact John and find out what are the good growers or -- ask
the members of Iris-l what varieties grow well for them.

I can recommend CANYON SNOW and CHIMES only because they do well for
me.  These are older varieties and maybe not so flamboyant-- but good
growers. 

Rick Tasco
Central California
Zone 8.5

Ps: John Weiler also is and has hybridized PCN's which do well in hotter
summers.
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