Re: Re: TB:Tough ones
From: John or Margaret Montgomery <monashee@junction.net>
Shauna _ wrote:
> I am actively participating in a BIG test myself for TB this winter after
> purchasing quite a few varieties from California in August. This will be
> their first Zone 3 winter! Should be interesting come spring to see which
> ones survive, which ones bloomed the first year and which ones bite the
> dust. (Hopefully none actually do 'bite the dust', as I bought good quality
> stock and have high hopes!) :)
>
> Will keep you posted of my TB experiment.
Shauna,
With early planting I think you should have good success with TB's in zone 3.
Six or seven years ago when we had a mail order business, I entered into an
arrangement with the Sask. Perennial Society in Saskatoon. I sent them 25
different rhizomes (24 TB's and pallida variegata). They were to plant them in
members gardens and were not to use any heroic efforts to keep them alive.
The report whichs which I received over the next two or three years were that
the only one which died was pallida variegata. Every TB lived and most bloomed
during the first spring.
I don't have the list at hand but they were not special selections, just nice
irises that I had extras of. None were bleeding edge newcomers but most were
reasonably recent intros in various colors.
As an aside, a few years ago I saw a huge clump of 'New Moon' growing and
thriving in a garden near Edmonton.
I think the key is to get them planted before the end of July so they are well
rooted in before the cold weather arrives. We always guaranteed our plants
shipped to the prairies if they were ordered in time to ship in July and I
can't remember ever being asked for a replacement.
If I am not mistaken, in recent years there have been very heavy rains in the
spring around Edmonton. I expect that these rains will do more damage than the
winter cold. I suggest that you plant them on raised beds so they do not have
to awim for their lives in the spring.
Cheers
John Montgomery
Vernon BC Zone 5
monashee@junction.net
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