Re: CULT: Seed Germination

Some weeks ago, perhaps a month , a friend in Colorado (whom I 
gained, incidentally, by being in a round robin with him!) sent me a 
pkg. of seeds of I. missouriensis.  Having no experience at growing 
iris of any kind from seed, and not having paid attention earlier 
when others on this list were discussing how to grow this species, I 
experimented.  There were lots of seeds, so I put some in a pot and 
kept it at room temperature.  So far, nothing has grown.  Some seeds 
I put in a pot in the freezer, thinking to imitate the Colorado 
mountain meadow climate from which these seeds came.  I haven't taken 
it out of the freezer yet.  Some other seeds I put in pots and stuck 
them in the refrigerator in the basement, where they'd be out of the 
way for a while.  A couple days ago I checked the pots, and I was 
amazed to find some of those seeds sprouting right there while in the 
refrigerator.  I've taken the pots out and they are on a rack over 
the warming mat where I started some vegetable seeds.  More have now 
sprouted, others probably will.  I had no idea any seeds would sprout 
in the cold of the refrigerator, thought they'd wait until the pots 
were in the warm again.  There were 2 pots in there, but all the 
seeds that have sprouted so far are in just one of them.  Meanwhile, 
I also kept some seeds--there were so many in the packet--to put 
directly into the garden as soon as things warm up.  
    Question:  Is this normal to have the seeds sprout while still in 
the cold?  If not, what might I have done to prompt this?  Or is it 
in spite of what I may have done?  

Arnold Koekkoek
NW Iowa Zone 4

Arnold Koekkoek                         Home Ph. (712) 722-0724
Assoc. Prof. of History                 Off. Ph. (712) 722-6326
Dordt College                           e-mail koekkoek@dordt.edu
Sioux Center, IA 51250
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