CULT: cold & this n that

I got some questions offlist that I figured might be of interest to
others, so am posting answers here.

<So you protected your iris from 25 degree weather. . .  I'm just
wondering, did you have stalks starting to come
up through the fans?  How far ahead are you in weather compared to...?>

I've found that 25 degrees F is about the critical cutoff temperature in
my location (which is slow to warm up in the morning due to hill shadow)
for damage to developing flower buds & stalks <before> they start to
show.  Even before they can be felt in the fan.  Once they are above
ground, forget it.  At least while they are still in the rhizome, or at
the very base of the fan, it is possible to protect them.

Timing is important - any freeze below about 25oF, six to eight weeks
(or less) <before> normal bloom time seems to be the critical window of
time.  My peak bloom is early May, & past experience tells me that any
really hard freeze (below 25o) after the middle of March will cause
problems.

< .....Social Graces and Rite of Spring.  How do these iris fare with
cold weather for you? >

I've not tried SOCIAL GRACES.  RITE OF SPRING is beautiful and has
survived here.  Blooms now and then, but isn't too happy about it.  I
probably should get rid of it, but keep thinking I'll figure out
something to cross it with.

<Do you grow iris for show? >

No - I hate shows.  We use to do 'fun' shows, set up similar to a show,
but open to the public the whole time.  I really enjoyed those.  Gave
more time to visit with club members, talk about performance of various
cultivars, groups of us 'out of towners' could go look at local club
gardens etc.

<Hope today's weather is nicer for you! >

Spectacular warm sunny day with light breezes from the southwest.  Temps
were well above freezing by 10 AM, & are expected to stay that way for
at least a week.  Lets hope the next freezes are mild ones.  If our
temps stay a bit warmer, maybe the western half of the country can cool
off a bit

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
talk archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
photos archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>
online R&I <http://www.irisregister.com>

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