Re: HYB:CULT: Big enough to liine out.

In a message dated 3/28/2006 5:36:28 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
flatnflashy@yahoo.com writes:


<<  So lets get specific.  How many  leaves, how tall, are you looking for a 
certain landmark of development, or is  it every man for himself once the 
taxes are done?>>
.
Christian, I figure most of us do what works for us.  Some people have  
stated that a seedlings needs to have X number of fans before transplanting. In  
the years past, I went along with this and would put the smaller ones back into  
the pots.  So I was always stuck with several pots with small  seedlings.  
Then I'd fill my space and have no room for them . . . so they  took up the pots 
until the NEXT year.  Often HUGE by the next spring and  stressing/crowding 
the new or second year sprouts.   
 
Then a friend suggested I just plant them all!    
 
Now, I'm more concerned with getting them in the ground early enough for a  
high percent of bloom on the first year.  I won't make as many crosses as  some 
people this year because I will spend part of bloom season putting  seedlings 
in their new beds.  My goal is to get them ALL in the ground by  June 1.  
This past year I planted ALL of my seedlings, even the  smallest.  They lived and 
I don't have seedlings sitting in the pots with  delayed bloom.  Many of the 
small ones will bloom this spring.
 
My son and I were in the middle of the garden today, discussing those  
seedlings (right in the middle).  He commented that they looked as big and  ready to 
bloom as anything in the garden.  A general observation, and he  was right.  
 
Beds are ready for the new seedlings.  When it's time to  transplant, I'll 
plant each and every seedling and I won't count the fans!   But I will plant the 
strongest first.  The big seedlings with the best root  systems will go 
first.  The little ones will be at the end of the cross,  but I'll bet that a lot 
of them will develop into seedlings just as strong as  the bigger ones.  Strong 
in terms of survival and fan production.  
 
I've seen something new (for me) in these seedling pots.  Most years I  check 
the pots several times for seed that are above the soil and push  them down.  
This year there were books of straw on top of the pots so  I didn't check as 
close.  I've never seen a seed lying on the top of a  pot that has sprouted, 
and I've been told it can't happen.  
 
I've been told, seed need darkness to sprout and soil covering  provides 
darkness!  (as does the inside of a refrigerator)  In fact,  I'd been told that 
they were very picky and would not sprout if planted either  too deep or too 
shallow.  Since this is not a factor in a  refrigerator?  Maybe we can question 
that advice??  
 
Just today, I've noticed that several of the little seedlings have pulled  
their seed casing out of the ground.   They aren't laying on top of  the soil 
but suspended from the seedlings and dangling above the soil.  The  soil in the 
pots has stayed really soft and fluffy this year due to the  straw. 
 
Before the week is over, I hope to have the seedling pots moved to  a more 
sunny location and start with the Miracle Grow.   
 
 
________________________________________________________
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:
_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
(http://www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/) 
_Reblooming Iris - Home Page_ (http://www.rebloomingiris.com/)  
_iris-photos archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/)  
_iris-talk archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/)  
_AIS: American Iris Society website_ (http://www.irises.org/)   

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index