Re: Re: HYB: how many seedlings?

In a message dated 3/22/2006 4:26:15 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
lmann@volfirst.net writes:

<<I've been skeptical about the fastest growing seedlings having  the most
"vigor". >>
Linda, I agree with Paul on this.  You (anyone) can miss out on great  
seedlings this way.  Again I will use 1812 as an example.  Ninety two  planted the 
first year.  Most of these have good growth, but not all.   If I'd only planted 
the ten to twenty strongest at planting time, I would  have missed some of 
the prettiest and strongest.  
 
Because there were so many of these (1812) I broke away from my habit of  
digging and sorting all seedlings at one time.  Didn't want the roots to  dry out 
so I dug and sorted from 2 to 4 pots at a time, starting with the pots  that 
had the strongest looking plants.  They were planted in groups  and I could 
tell where each group ended by the weaker plants.  About 6  failed to grow at 
all. (memory says they did come from the weaker plants, but no  notes) 
 
1812-1Re WAS the first in the row, but not the strongest or best producer  of 
stalks.   But 1812-2re is down by 1812-25re. 1812-25re is a  white and cream 
with a blue beard.  Beard bloomed that way through both a  fall and spring 
season.  By virtue of it's number you can tell it was the  25th to rebloom the 
first fall.  It's near the middle of this planting.  There are several reselects 
from this group that I would not have seen if I'd  stuck to my "plant only 
the strongest" routine.  
 
My definition of strength: produces good supply of fans that are visually  
appealing AND produce a good supply of bloom stalks.  
 
It got down to 26 this morning.  I put the straw back on the seedlings  but 
my guess is that I lost a lot of early bloom stalks. More cold nights  to come. 
 
 
 

________________________________________________________
If you  don't cross them, you can't  plant them! 
Betty W. in South-central  KY Zone 6 ---
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
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