Re: HYB: ?setting pods indoors?

I would make sure that you take into account whaere you place your potted plants you have brought inside.  Are they near an airvent blowing hot, dry air at them (the flowers)?  Cool drafts may even be beneficial. These factors could be a difference between your growing conditions indoors
 
It might also help if a plant is more established as it is blooming.  Say you potted it up a few weeks before it would normally bloom if it had been left outside normally.  When transplanting the proposed fan pick one that has new fans forming that will also be forming new roots.  Blooming size fans don't normally produce significantly new roots as they are about to bloom.  This may halp make sure the seeds that do form don't abort due to stress.

I control the aphids with insecticidal soap applied at least twice, once right at transplanting and then another spray in a week.  Make sure to spray deep inside the leaf bases by opening each blade slighly from the base upwards.  You can also very gently squeeze the blades where you can't spray and crush the aphids.  A systemic insecticide, such as Ortho Systemic Insect Killer (Isotox)/Acephate that is sprayed on the leaves and is taken into plant throught the leaves is also helpful.  A soil drench applied insecticide may not be as effective unless the plant has had time to send out roots into the pot.

Paul Archer
Raleigh, NC Zone 8


-----Original Message-----
>From: Robin Shadlow <rshadlow@yahoo.com>
>Sent: Nov 9, 2007 8:56 PM
>To: iris@hort.net
>Subject: Re: [iris] HYB: ?setting pods indoors?
>
>At the risk of further confirming my insanity- yes, I have had reasonable success in setting pods indoors.  The percentage of takes I have had is similar to the spring crosses.  I did not have any problems getting the pods to mature, but did find that the seed are ready at a rather awkward time.  I got a few to germinate, but it was a low percentage.  There may be some value in holding these seeds over until next fall for planting which may eliminate the benefit of setting the pods in the first place.  But then I have been thinking that I should learn how to do embryo excision :  )
>   
>  Aphids have been the biggest enemy of my potted indoor irises.  I usually do lose the plant by the time it has survived being uprooted while forming a stalk and then maturing a pod.
>   
>  Can't hurt to try
>   
>  Robin Shadlow
>  zone 5 NE  not Oz
>Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
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