Re: OT-BIO: HYB: Minnesota, new pollen dauber

Joe,

I'm guessing your pods are on bearded irises........

We're in a mild zone 4 so our climate is similar but not quite as severe as
yours. Killing frost can come as early as August but typically holds off
till September and we can usually plan on seeing some snowflakes in October.
Snow can cover parts of the lower garden as late as early May though we've
had an early spring for the past few years. We plan around hard frosts till
June 1 along with a cold snap around July 4. Sometimes during the July 4th
week the temperature just dips into the 40s at night but we have had enough
cold some years to turn the potatoes black.

I harvest the pods as soon as they begin to split at the top. Seeds are
planted just before the ground freezes for the winter about 1" deep and 1"
apart. If I plan to force them to germinate earlier I plant in ordinary soil
in a sturdy pot. The key to forcing the seeds to germinate early is to place
the pots where I can find them under the snow so they can be moved to the
greenhouse in February or March. By that time they should have had enough
soaking and chilling naturally to break dormancy.

Quite a few species should do well in your area. Since we're no longer
shipping irises this year, I've uploaded the summer Iris Gallery pages to
our website and more will go up as the plants bloom. The "Irises" link will
take you to the main menu of photos.

Be sure to let everyone know when your site is online.

Christy

Skip & Christy Hensler
THE ROCK GARDEN
Newport, WA
http://www.povn.com/rock/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Mann" <lmann@volfirst.net>

> Because Joe is in such a different climate from mine, I'm posting his
> note to me  here to get input from others in climate more similar to
> his.

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