Re: CULT: unusual (for me) iris happenings
- Subject: Re: CULT: unusual (for me) iris happenings
- From: D* E*
- Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 20:09:17 -0800
From: "Donald Eaves" <donald@eastland.net>
Hello Folks,
Odd weather this last year, even for our extremes. I credit the
weird weather for out-of-the-normal events in the iris beds.
Apparently the old homestead iris (well established here when
we acquired the land in 1950) is going to give me a sport. I'm
curious. What factors go into creating this phenomenon? A
normal bud color for this one is dark purple, but one which will
bloom in the next week is a dark rose! Clearly a different color
from its mates. No chance it is from another iris.
Blooms on last falls' increases. I know other folks experience
this on new increase, but it is a first for me. A new rhizome, e.g.,
planted last fall on arilbred SHONDO, three stalks; two stalks
on IB CHIMERA; two on arilbred AT LAST (the mother rhizome
fan died early); two stalks on ZERZURA, another arilbred new last
fall and the mother fan was frozen earlier - spares!! ha!!; stalks on
the increase on VOLTAGE, a new TB last fall and (I think) on LEMON
CHESS, also new last fall. At a guess, I think there will be several
more blooms on the new increase.
A likely bloomout on YAQUINA BLUE, new last fall and one of five
which had no increase. I've only ever had this happen once before.
Normally, if there is no increase there is also no bloom and by the
next season there has been increase. Oh well! I work with planned
attrition in mind, so will know if I like it well enough to try again or
move on.
A bloom stalk on a first year seedling. Maybe on three or four from
the appearance. I've always had to wait until the second year from
sprouting to see bloom and sometimes into the third year of growth.
The iris growth looks better this year than I've ever seen it. Even in
beds which have been planted for years with no amendments or any
fertilizer supplements.
Oddly, for all the exceptional things, overall it does not appear I will
have all that great a year for bloom production. Peak bloom is usually
the third and fourth week in April and for the most part I think the
majority are lagging too far make that schedule. There is no apparent
bud development in too many plants, so I have lowered my expectations
accordingly. This is across all the beds, established for many years
thru to the new solarized ones with lots of amendments last summer.
The Dutch iris increased well in our drought last summer. A bumper
crop of buds, but they are late. Only one shows color and they usually
bloom ahead or with the old homesteader.
Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7
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