Re: Border Beardeds-- Used to be--Iris breeding : check the catalogs

LMann76543@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 97-02-06 03:21:33 EST, you write:
> 
> >For example, of 46
> >> catalogs offering BBs, the most widely offered cultivars were APRICOT
> >> FROSTY (17), BATIK (17), SONJA'S SELAH (16), BLACKBEARD (15), BROWN LASO
> >> (15), MARMALADE SKIES (15), and PINK BUBBLES (15). Are these all among the
> >> best growing BBs on the market today?
> 
> >No, not in my garden.  I am or have grown all the above except Frosty.
> >Batik has been battered on this list before you came on.  I carry it
> >because it is popular with the public.  It is a finicky grower with
> >little increase.  Marmalade Skies and Pink Bubbles I discontinued for
> >poor growth.  Sonja's Selah, Brown Lasso and Blackbeard are good here.
> >Rick Tasco
> 
> Are all of these top award winners maybe?  Wonder why they wound up in so
> many catalogs.   Seems odd if they don't increase very well in iris heaven -
> where would they all come from?  Or are border bearded (BBs) a type that does
> better outside of iris heaven?
> 
> Linda Mann east Tennessee USA
> having daffodil envy

Linda,

I will probably get some flack over this but...IMO most border beardeds
are tall bearded runts and they grow like runts.  I know that there are
a few hybridizers who deliberately breed for this class but most do
not.  These usually are accidents of tall bearded breeding.  Small
plants and stalks and sometimes oversized flowers.  But I guess if they
fit the class some hybridizers will introduce them.    

And Linda, please don't refer to CA as iris heaven.  Spend some time in
my garden and you may change your mind.  How would you like to have leaf
spot all thru the winter?  I spray fungicides twice a month so I keep it
in check.  Or how would you like to see grass and weeds growing all
winter long.  I solarize for this.  Plus we can get soft rot and another
malady called mustard seed fungus which later develops into another kind
of rot.  And believe it or not we can get late freezes here also, maybe
not killing but disfiguring.  Is there an Iris Heaven?

Rick Tasco
Central California 
Zone 8
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