Re: Freezing Seed TB seeds planted outdoors

In a message dated 97-01-11 14:23:06 EST, you write:

> I noted a few germinations in early March,... I theorize
>that many germinations aare annuled by a severe late freeze, - as would have
>happened here this past year.  Lloyd Zurbrigg

I agree with your theory!  March is when the fans are for sure starting to
grow on established plants, and even though no bloomstalks are even thinking
about showing that early, a good hard freeze (low 20s) will damage terminal
fans enough to abort them (no fan, no bloom) especially on early bloomers,
and apparently can damage flower bud primordia inside the rhizome on later
bloomers.  I have had 100% bloom in years I have been willing to run out and
cover all my plants with Reemay for every temperature dip.  Too much trouble.
 This year, I have tried burying all the rhizomes under a little bit of dirt
for insulation (to keep them from warming up so fast and to insulate them
from the cold some).

I am wishing I had planted my seeds directly in the ground - in these raised
containers, they will be impossible to protect from cold and too heavy to
move to a protected location.  Hmm - maybe I can build a climate controlled
cardboard box over them.....

Linda Mann lmann76543@aol.com east Tennessee frost pocket, USA
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