Re: CULT: adaptability/microhabitat

Betty, I've been thinking along those lines, especially with all of Bill
B's comments about the varying results he's gotten with some cultivars
by tweaking their environs in Mississippi.

Barry B sent the lime like snow info to us after Rosalie and I emailed
and asked how much lime he used. He said the reason he uses so much lime
is because his soil is acid sand.  Soo, I guess it depends on how acid
your soil is to start with.  He didn't say what pH.

He also says in his catalog to get rid of all the weeds (hah!).

This year, I tried to think about what growing conditions (soil) various
hybridizers might have and planted accordingly.

Soo, I put all Blyth intros out in the gravel rows this time (not
exactly sand, but maybe equally well drained) and added a good bit of
lime (like snow).  The gravel is pretty easy to keep weeds under control
and is where one of his kids, BEHOLD A LADY has been very reliable for
me for ?10 yrs?.

Most of Keppel's went into the best soil (old veggie garden), as did
Waltah's LEMON CHESS, which after 3 or 4 tries that died in various
reasonably well tended beds here and there is alive and growing!

If the hybridizer uses pesticides to keep the seedlings thriving, they
don't stand a chance here.  I won't do that.

<....has anyone had good results in recreating the microclimates of the
introducing hybridizer?......And somewhere, can't find it, he [Blyth]
states that he applies   lime so that it looks like a new fallen
snow.     My point?  Maybe Blyth irises need more lime than others?
Betty W. in South-central KY Zone 6 . . . >

The rot queen's favorite topic....
- --
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
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