Re: Re: HYB:germination rates+

In a message dated 1/19/2006 7:49:17 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
lmann@volfirst.net writes:

<<What part of the 'broader view' am I  missing?>>
Linda, I don't know that you're missing anything.  Perhaps I was  missing 
something earlier.  Or maybe our goals are so different that it  doesn't really 
matter.  
 
Maybe I can explain it best by showing this picture (attachment) 
 
Little back ground.  Doubt seriously this will ever be  introduced.  See no 
call for another white iris that blooms late and  doesn't rebloom.  This 
seedling is 1/4 Edith Wolford, 1/4 Immortality with  Silverado, Latin Lady, Pledge 
Allegiance & Beau Zam making up the  rest.  The pod parent was a pretty white 
seedling from Edith X  (Silverado x Latin Lady.)  The pollen parent a white 
reblooming  seedling with no distinction.   
 
Frankly, I didn't expect much from this cross and didn't plant it.   The 
seedlings remained in a mum pot for 3 years.  They all died  except the strongest 
3.  Late this past spring this seedling bloomed in  that mum pot with only 
about 2 inches of soil left in the bottom!  (also  had red seedlings and then 
purple plicata seedling do the same)  Other  iris bloom was gone so I spent more 
time than normal looking at the blooms  on this one stalk.  I think it had 4 
blooms.
 
Why didn't I plant it when I moved out here, or even last year?  Low  
expectations.  I breed to produce new and exciting rebloomers.  I  didn't expect to 
see anything either new or exciting from this cross! Even  now, much as I like 
this seedling, it's got nothing to excite anyone but  me.  
 
Why do I find it exciting?  Well, it's mine!  <vbg>  But, I see POTENTIAL.  I 
look at this and see that I could be just a heart  beat away from something 
really great!  One parent was a pretty little  thing that carries rebloom, 
while the other is an average (but not ugly)  seedling that has rebloomed quite 
well.
 
The pod parent is already gone, and I was on the verge of trashing the  
pollen parent.  I've gone from looking at the pollen parent (1004-5Re) of  this 
seedling as a failure, an also ran if you will, and now I see it as being  worthy 
of a another chance as a parent.  I've LOTS of this seedling so  pollen won't 
be a problem!  
 
With the 1812 I've learned many things from the first round (80+) of  
seedlings.  You don't always get what you expect.  Lemon Reflection  really does NOT 
carry the plicata gene!  Here's a list of what I got  from the cross. Most 
were tall.  
 
1)  1 pure med yellow.  
2)  3 or 4 pale yellow with veining.
3)  1 white with a pale lav sheen on opening (similar to the  coloring on 
Immorality) But tall with perfect branches.  
4)  3 pale lav with darker overlay on the falls.
5)  3 or 4 that have a brighter poke berry stain on the falls.   Usually 
veined.  
6)  1 old gold with rust overlay.  A very pretty rebloomer  but the foliage 
is of small stature and the plant is one of the weaker of  the bunch.  Beauty 
is the only thing this one has going for it and I may  not even use it as a 
parent.  It will depend on how the blooms fall!  
7)  1 pale yellow standards with more golden falls with purple  beards (looks 
blue)
9-80)  The rest are some shade of yellow to old gold with some shade  of 
lavender overlay on the falls.  
 
8)  One more from 1812, and the last I saw bloom.  It has pale  yellow 
standard with cream falls.  Three stalks this fall, great stalks,  etc.  Looks the 
least like the rest but one of the top 5 in  potential.  (picture in archives 
2005 fall) 
 
Linda, I guess what I'm trying to say is that instead of looking  <just> for 
perfect seedlings I'm now looking more for semi-perfect  parents.  <vbg>  Does 
that make sense?  The thrill of  the chase?  
 
Most of my seedlings grow well for me.  The ones that  don't either die 
(natural selection) or I dig them and pitch them (Betty  selection)!  
 
Over 1/2 of my crosses contain my seedlings.  This accounts for my  improved 
success in seedling (new) survival.  As I make more crosses with  my seedlings 
I have more rebloomers.  A cross like 1812 has well over 50%  rebloom.  Even 
seedlings that didn't rebloom are producing reblooming  children.  
 
I'm learning (still) like everyone else.
 
I guess I'm just having a lot of fun!  Even when I know what I'm going  to 
get like self x plicata (1812) it still lots of fun to actually see the  
theories proven.  And interesting to see that LEMON REFLECTION wasn't  carrying 
plicata.  Or it's recessive and didn't come out.  But we'll  see what the other 56 
look like this spring.  Guess I should DO a plicata  cross to see what that 1 
in 36 looks like in the next generation??  Even  more interesting . . . cross 
two half plicatas and see what the OTHER 35 look  like!  More overlays?? What 
happens if I add a half  plicata that's red???    Exciting possibilities!!

 
Back to the tedious stuff.  




Make more crosses!  If you don't cross them, you can't   plant them! 

Betty W. in South-central KY Zone 6  ---
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
(http://www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/) 
_Reblooming Iris - Home Page_ (http://www.rebloomingiris.com/)  
_iris-photos archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/)  
_iris-talk archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/)  
_AIS: American Iris Society website_ (http://www.irises.org/)   

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