RE: HYB: Chuck Chapman's rebloomers
From: "Mark, Maureen" <MARKM@tc.gc.ca>
Hi Carolyn,
Chuck doesn't do anything special for his irises once they are in the
ground. He is breeding for hardiness and vigor. In selecting his crosses,
he has been breeding for vigor in rebloomers. His hypothesis is that
rhizomes have to reach a critical size before blooming. If the rebloomers
can reach that size quicker, then there will be more periods of repeat
blooming. Sun is the most important factor for Chuck's rebloomers. Good
soil is next on his list. Chuck really likes his new place because the soil
is much better.
For those of you who are thinking ahead, you may then think that rapid
growth may not be a good thing because you will get bigger clumps faster
which will need dividing sooner. But Chuck has been working on this too.
His Carpet series is an effort to breed irises that form mats quickly and do
not need to be divided more frequently.
Just think...when you combine these hybridizing programs, we may get an
everblooming iris that doesn't need to be divided every two or three years
to bloom well.
Maureen Mark
Ottawa, Canada (zone 4)
> From: Carolyn Schaffner <drsnooks@buffnet.net>
>
>
> ANYHOW, what does Chuck Chapman (Guelph, Ontario) do that makes his
> rebloomers rebloom and rebloom and rebloom -- continuously bloom,
> perhaps. It seems he has bred for the reblooming factor AND chose MDB's
> to jump start the bloom season. Maybe there are cultural practises too??
> Sandy? Maureen? Chris? do you know whether Chuck waters profusely?
>
> Carolyn Schaffner, south of the horseshoe in Buffalo, NY
>
>
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