HYB:Pod parents (care and feeding)

Anyone have theories or observations on pod production?  The care  and 
feeding of iris pods?  
 
I've always known that pod parents (any plant) should be given extra  
fertilizer and water during the seed production period!  At the very least  it limits 
the stress on the pod bearing plant, but it does effect the seed.  I've just 
not always been able to provide this care.  The summer just  past has to rank 
at the top of my list for neglecting the pods.  No food  after spring 
fertilization and, in most cases, no extra water.  They were  scattered all over the 
garden and most were on their own.  As a result (I  think) many were only able 
to mature a small number of seed.  
 
I plan to make a conscious effort to group my pods (most) in certain beds  
(6) so I can water and fertilize with soaker hoses this coming season,  2006.  
Personally, I work too hard making those crosses to harvest only  eight to ten 
seed per pod.  Or even twenty.  Since I work with  rebloomers anyway, it 
shouldn't be a stress on other plants in those beds.   In the new 2005 bed that has 
about 130 plants only half a dozen or so have NO  known rebloom 
possibilities.  A few may only be carriers in my garden, but  the potential is there.  
 
Would the 'extra' seeds I acquire under these 'abnormal' conditions be  
inferior?  My thought is that they might ALL be superior since they would  have 
whatever micro nutrients they need to become champions!  Water  solvent 
fertilizer with more micro nutrients than Miracle Grow.   <vbg>
 
Example:  
Late this past spring, I made a cross on VIZIER X STAR GATE. Vizier  was in 
one of two beds I didn't clean and it was rather neglected most of  the summer. 
 The cross produced 8 seed.  
 
Lets say, for the sake of argument, that the pod (V & SG) actually had  65 
seed, but it could not support the full 65 so, rather than abort the  entire 
pod, momma eliminated most of the seed.  If this cross had been  in a bed where I 
provided extra fertilizer and water, most of the aborted  seed would have 
survived.  If this had happened, would the other seed have  been less viable in 
any way?  Would these 8 seed be the only  good seed since they are the only 
ones that would have survived under "normal"  conditions?  


 
I'm not sure Momma iris cuts off nourishment only to the poor  seed?  It 
seemed that location within the pod was more of a  determining factor.  In the 
case where aborted seed were present and  obvious, the survivors were more in 
groups or certain areas of the pod?   (Memory of course)
 
Comments?  
 
 
 
 

 
Betty W. in  South-central KY Zone 6
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
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