CULT: FROZEN SEED

On the subject of how would freezing affect iris seeds, I have less than 20 
years experience in growing iris from seed and have only done so in my little 
corner of the world.  Also, I am hybridizing with one goal in mind, beautiful 
iris that do well in Tyler, Texas.  I am attempting a garden of iris that bloom 
nearly every year and withstand the hardships of Texas weather.  For instance 
after 2 years of extreme drought we have received 8" of rain since January 
1st.  I never plant iris seeds in the ground as the weeds soon overtake the 
little iris seedlings and I cannot pull weeds without pulling iris seedlings.  
Therefore, I plant my seeds according to crosses in styrofoam boxes with drainage 
holes provided via screwdriver.  I plant dried seed on Thanksgiving Day and 
put them where they receive what the elements throw at them.  Since we were 
having way above normal temperature in Nov. and Dec., they were starting to 
sprout by the first of January.  Now we have had freezing rain and below freezing 
temps for 72 hours and they seem to be trouping right on through.  Since I have 
only a partial acre which is shared by daylilies, LA iris, spuria iris, pc 
iris and various other plants, I have had to give last years seedlings to a 
neighbor a mile away to grow out for me, the year before's seedlings are in pots, 
and don't know what I am going to do with this year's crop.  HELP I am out of 
control.  I must become more militant in ridding myself of iris that don't 
perform and seedlings that aren't improvements.  I kept LIPSTICK LIES for 6 years 
before it finally bloomed and when it did it was lovely but then I lost it 
that summer.  Hmmmm, if I just weren't so stubborn and determined.  Well, I am 
just doing all this for my own pleasure anyway.  If I were growing iris to 
become a reknowned hybridizer, I am sure my methods would change quickly and I 
would definitely keed more property and it would probably kill me. 

Don't know how much land Ms. Lucille Pinkston had to work with but her 
offspring from WILD JASMINE certainly electrified me at the last OKC convention and 
has led to all kinds of new iris of that ilk (RING AROUND THE ROSIE etc.).  I 
do know that she has not introduced very many iris.

Barbara Null
Tyler, TX  zone 7b/8a 

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