Re: Photographing irises
loramasche@juno.com wrote:
>
> Good morning John,
>
> Wish I knew what went wrong with the colors on the irises. Some of the
> purples were too light or they showed up a lighter purple. I think it
> is just experimenting with different angles and working with the sun.
> My husband has a 35mm nikon which takes beautiful pictures of other
> things. He was with a camera club for five years and learned about film
> speed and different exposures, but guess with flowers we have lots to
> learn. Any advice you can give us? I think the video camera is an
> excellent solution and I am very excited for spring to arrive.
Wish I could help more. I only have one season of taking pictures. I can tell you
for me darks are the most difficult. I think my purples and blues came out
reasonably close except when there was too much direct light. Morning or late
afternoon is best. I have to use a camera because I want a portable catalog, and
printing from a video capture I don't think is up to par for printing. Sure is
nice for on screen displays though.
> Question. Two of our irises were pollinated by the birds. We saved the
> seeds but now what do I do with them? I read in the iris book to soak,
> refrigerate etc, etc. Can I just plant them? I also have daylillies
> that were pollinated the same way. seeds everywhere, but what to do
> with them is the big question.
There has been a lot of discussion in the past about starting seeds, but I
haven't paid much attention or saved anything because I am not into hybridizing
or propagating seed (at least not yet). I grow my iris mostly for garden display
and cut flowers.
BUT, I did find this from Clarence in my archives.
> Regarding Japanese iris seed, in fact almost any iris seed...just take them
> out of the pod and store them in a plastic cup over the winter (the seed will
> remain viable for several years). In mid winter, soak them for several days,
> changing the water a couple of times. Then put the wet seeds in a handful of
> wet sphagnum...make sort of a ball with the seeds in the center. Put the
> sphagnum and seeds in a plastic baggie and tie with a plastic tie. If you
> know the parentage, put a tag on with the parentage. If you have several
> batches of seed, do the same for each. Then put the baggies in a
> refrigerator bag, seal it, and put it in the back of the fridge for 2
> months---not in the freezer! Plant in flats or pots, but cover just slightly
> with sand. Tamp down and keep moist at all times.. When seedlings are about
> 4 or 5 inches tall you can then transplant.
You could check the indexes on Tom Tadford's web page for other discussion, or
ask the list
> Hope to meet you one of these days. we're close by.
Would be fun. I know a David Masche at National Semiconductor. Your hubby???
--
On 1 Oct in -
331 B.C., Macedonians and Greeks under Alexander the Great defeat the Persians
at Arbela.
1596 the Duke of Norfolk was imprisoned by Britain's Queen Elizabeth for trying
to marry Mary Queen of Scots.
1785, the first city directory in the U.S. is published (Philadelphia).
1851 - 1st Hawaiian stamps issued
1880 - John Philip Sousa named the new director of the United States Marine Corps
Band He composed the Marine Corps hymn, Semper Fidelis.
1885, special delivery mail service began in the United States.
1888, National Geographic magazine was first published.
And at the top of the charts on this day in:
1957 - Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
---
John | "There be dragons here"
| Annotation used by ancient cartographers
| to indicate the edge of the known world.
John Jones, jijones@ix.netcom.com
Fremont CA, USDA zone 8/9 (coastal, bay)
Max high 95F/35C, Min Low 28F/-2C average 10 days each
Heavy clay base for my raised beds.
