Re: HYB:seed:soaking

I've grown seeds sort of 3 different ways, before retirement (1)
outdoors, major weather swings, minimal care (attention to water etc),
post retirement, weather more stable (2) outdoors, water during dry
spells, cover during sudden severe cold following warm spells, (3)
toilet tank/burrito, germinate indoors in fall, remove germinated
seedlings, put outdoors for rest of winter and additional "normal"
spring germination

       1) What is your zone?
7 (more or less - some winters "normally" below zero F at least once,
last winter not below 10oF

                   2)  How long do you soak the seed?  (seems to vary)
methods 1 & 2 - none
method 3 - previous years, toilet tanked for about 10 days, this year 5
days (based on leaching article in recent AIS Bulletin)

                   3)  When do you soak the seed with reference to
planting time? (just   before/three months before etc.)

method 3 - soak just prior to burrito-ing in fridge for (usually) 3
months

                   4) When do you plant?  Fall?  Mid-Winter?
methods 1 & 2 - Thanksgiving
method 3 - 3 months after starting refrigeration.  This year, seed
batches are due to be planted Oct 9, Oct 31, and Nov 9.

                   5)  Where do you plant the seed?  (greenhouse, pots,
ground  etc.)
method 1 - most were in 4 cell paks like annuals come in, no more than 5
seeds per cell, some were in large, discarded washtubs with drainage
holes added.  Potting mix was fine creek sand, potting soil (local
greenhouse mix) and sieved soil.  These were on top of the ground, east
side of the house, few hours of sun, later moved to northeast to get
more sun.

method 2 - used to use 4 cell paks, switched to 4 inch pots for pods
with less than 20 seeds, larger pots for pods with more seeds, up to 11
inch pots for crosses with >60 seeds.  Similar potting mix as
previously, but covered with crumbled up fast decomposing hardwood
leaves (hybrid poplar, buckeye, elm, whatever is in the yard).  Back to
east side where there is no sun once trees leaf out, but less drying in
early hot windy weather.  Easier to keep moist.

method 3 - same pots, soil, and leaves as method two.  Pots are put
outdoors and watered regularly if night-time temps are staying above
freezing, on the sun porch if colder.  If it is too warm (above 65 max)
on the sun porch, all that burrito chilling in the refrigerator will be
for nothing and seeds will either rot or go into deeper dormancy.

                   6)  What is your germination rate using your method?

Method 1 - zero to 5%
Method 2 - zero to 30%, average probably in 20 to 30% range for those
that germinate at all.  That's germination over a 2 yr period.
Method 3 - zero to 100%, average about the same as method 2, but most in
the first year <and> plants bloom one or even two years <earlier>.

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
talk archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
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online R&I <http://www.irisregister.com>

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