RE:HYB: Toughness
- Subject: RE:HYB: Toughness
- From: i*@netscape.net
- Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 23:39:31 -0400
Generally I use what is best grower and performers in my garden, whatever they happen to be. I use my own seedlings a lot. I have used Romatic Evening this year, the first year here for me. It has bloomed on a short stock.
Hardiness seems hard to describe and probably depends on many factors. For me the conditiuons a plant has to endure involves 1) Inconsistant snow cover 2) many freezes and thaws throughout the winter 3) cold wet springs that just beg for the development on rot 4) competition with strong weeds (Blush) 5) and occasional general neglect/poor care. I don't get the heavy freezes after the start of strong growth. Some plants that I list as weak for me eg:Beverly Sills, seems to do well in the Canadian prairies, in zone 3. Some colour types are generally less hardy here, such as 1) pinks 2) oranges 3) pink/orange based plicatas 4) modern whites (older ones do just fine) 6) blacks with red beards. Also Australian and California plants can be a difficult go. I have been building up hardy stock (for my climate) though selective breeding and now I'm getting some good form in some of these colour types. I often use my knowledge of genetics to get a strong grower. For example, crossing wh!
ites with blues (lots of hardy, tough plants to choose from) I have very quickly been able to get a good hardy white. Garden Bride is from a white seedling X Breakers (a very tough plant and vigorous grower for me)
It would seem each climate has its own challenges. Sometimes wweak plants can produce tough offspring, but usually when one ogf its parents was a heardy plant.
--
Chuck Chapman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Zone 4/5
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