Planting Fall iris seeds (was Germinating TB seeds)

	Linda Mann wrote:

>Since we are warned not to plant iris seeds outdoors in the fall because
>they might germinate too soon and be winter killed as tender babies, it
>seems they probably don't need cold stratification to germinate, but
>might be inhibited by high (higher than fall?) temperatures during which
>time the embryo does whatever it needs to finish doing before the seed
>germinates.
>
>Sooo, maybe the trick would be to put the fall seeds somewhere in a
>dish, on a paper towel, or whatever you do with the spring seeds to dry
>for a couple of months at a 'high' (room) temperature, then cold
>stratify them.

>What does Lloyd Zurbrigg say?  Surely he has figured out how to get fall
>
>seeds to germinate.

	I am no Lloyd Zurbrigg *but* here in Zone 3, Jody Camille and I have
	been planting beardless iris seeds in the Fall and a high percentage
	of them germinate. Jody plants Japanese iris seeds for Currier McEwen
	to test them in our frigid climate. He also has a woman in Northern
	Maine doing the same thing....it is too warm to plant iris seeds
	yet even though we have had several frosts. BTW, Currier has photos
	of the seedlings and considers them his and he is working with them
	and advising them on crosses. Jody has a TDF pink and I mean real
	pink JI seedling. (She is the owner of the Mountain River Flower
	Farm selling Siberians and Japanese irises and lilium.)

	I always dry iris seeds on a plate for several days and them put
	them in paper bags (not plastic) and leave them at room temperature
	until I plant *in* the ground.

	I have not planted TB seeds and have no compunction to do so...maybe
	medians in the future and certainly MDBs, but it is mostly Siberian
	at this stage.

	Cheers,

	Ellen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ellen Gallagher  / e_galla@moose.ncia.net
Northern New Hampshire, USA   /    Zone 3
Siberian iris robin    /  sibrob@ncia.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index