Spring Dreaming? Show Me your Iris!

Thanks for the information Laurie. I didn't realize they needed cold temps. I fell in love with the pretty faces. I had gotten them from Jeff and just checked and he is from Delaware.

They are new for me to try this year. Maybe they wil do good if I put them by this one area I have. It doesn't get alot of sun during the summer cuz the big oak trees shield it but in the spring it is nice and sunny their but not too hot.

The one's I have in my yard are all TB's. I had also picked up Pumin' Iron and Pastel Pink, and now thanks to Wanda's enabling I think I need to add Peachy Face to it. :)

Thanks for the link, I will definately check it out.
Ella

Ella,

It's not the summer sun and heat that might cause lack of bloom in your MTBs; it's the lack of sufficient winter cold. MTBs and MDBs both need substantial winter chilling to prepare them for spring bloom. SDBs, IBs, BBs, and TBs aren't so fussy about winter chilling, so most of them should perform well in mild winter climates (some SDBs might resent a lack of winter chill, but many should do fine without it). There are likely to be a few MDBs and MTBs that will bloom even in mild winter areas, though I don't know which cultivars those might be.

As usual, iris gardening is all a matter of trial and error ... and hopefully, BLOOM!

Laurie

Laurie... I appreciate the help in telling me that. Maybe that's why I have never seen anything like them down here before.

I don't have that many of them, just a few bulbs of each of the above mentioned. Do you think maybe I should dig them up and keep them in the fridge for several months and then replant em? Do you think that would help them get enough cold stratification? Is it even possible to store Iris bulbs in the fridge or the freezer? My freezer isn't tall enough to keep them in a pot of soil in the freezer, but my fridge is.

There is no way I will have snow, but with the crazy weather this year anything is possible , and I won't get excessive cold temps. Way to cold for these bones, but not enough for bulb chill.

Ella

Quail Hill Garden is in South Carolina--I can't imagine the winter gets too chilly there. They say their main problem is too wet weather some years & rotting.

Quail Hill does include about a dozen MTBs (plus a few that are incorrectly identified as MTB) but only four MDBs in their sales listing. It'd be interesting to know if they actually manage to bloom those irises or if they just grow them for sale. My friend in SC has no problem growing MTBs. She just can't get the doggone things to bloom.

Ella, the problem with digging and refrigerating or freezing rhizomes, then replanting outside in the spring is that the plants will never have a chance to establish a strong root system. Without a strong root system, it's unlikely they'll bloom. Also, I don't know if they'd survive bareroot for months on end in a fridge or freezer without rotting in the damp environment. I don't think I'd risk it.

The one thing I have read that folks in warm climates sometimes do with their cold-loving irises is to ice them in ground, but don't ask how. I haven't a clue.

Just go ahead and grow them in-ground and see how they do. 'Pumpin' Iron' is an SDB, so it might do just fine for you. There is no iris registered as 'Pastel Pink'. I assume that's just a garden name someone gave it somewhere along the line. There's no way for me to know what class that one fits into. Quail Hill sells 'Bumblebee Deelite', so it might be one of those rare MTBs that performs with very little winter chill.

Like I said, trial and error. That's the fun of growing irises. If one cultivar doesn't do well in your garden, there are nearly 60,000 other cultivars to try. ;-)

Laurie

How right you are Laurie... To many lovely Iris out there for sure. Gonaa keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. Will let ya know how they do.
Her'e a pic of Pastel Pink. It's a Sheer Class Dwarf. Whatever that means.

I guess I really should find out about these Iris before I buy them, but darm it's just so ..so ..hard to resist seeing a beautiful bloom. :)

Ella

Sheer Class Dwarf???LOLOLOL!!! Not only did the seller make up a name, (s)he also made up a whole new class!

Laurie

Wanda: Firebreather? I need some come spring! How did I miss that one? Linda

Hi, looks like I missed the thread for a while but I had Bumblebee Deelite at my old garden in zone 5 and it was busy as a bee, spreading. Very happy plant. I also had Tyke (white standards, dark purple falls with graphic veining) and the same size as BBD.

I took many rhizomes with me when I moved and I kept them in a cold inside area in a paper bag and many of them dried out. I think it was lack of moisture that did them in, rather than cold. I planted them and some sent up leaves but only one bloomed this year. I agree with laurie that roots are the priority.

Here's a closeup of the BEE.

Linda_Iowa---Didn't I give you a couple "Firebreather" roots in August? It's the bright orange clump by the Sunflower Fairy that you liked last spriing. Got a shovel and a flashlight? Ha Ha ou

Can we dig through SNOW? I guess gardening is over for the year!

Hey, early snow only lasts the day. Wait until it gets REALLY deep before we start complaining...

Hey, I see you survived all the daughters & Grandkids....

Well, it's snowing here this morning and these iris are nice find! Thanks!! langbr do you think this might be your yellow one?

(Sunray Reflection?)

This message was edited Dec 3, 2004 10:39 AM

This is Captain Gallant.

One of my iris [I think from Sutton's]
Brazen Beauty TB

Maxine

hooked - yes that is the yellow/white one I posted. Captain Gallant sure is a looker. Like it.

langbr, does your Sunray have a bright yellow beard? Mine does. In the photo you posted it looks white, I know sometimes the colors aren't true. Yes Captain Gallant is nice, Thanks!

You know, hooked, it's actually white AND yellow! Is that weird? Here's another pic......

I looked back at more pics of mine and they all had bright yellow/orange beards. Maybe mine is different. Mine is also a deeper yellow/orange the your photo. Thanks for checking that for me.

Mine could be wrong too. I got mine from Bert (eflowergardens) in a co-op in 2003. In the PDB there are 3 pics (1 is mine). Margie's pic has a beard like mine and Moutaineer's pic has a beard like yours. Hmmmmm?

Then I checked Cooley's and their pic and description say yellow tipped in white for the beard.

LOL! Guess I'll have to call it my yellow. I like it any way!

Great iris photos! Cinnamon Girl was a beauty this year.

Wow! Very pretty, Wanda.

Another one from Suttons.

Citoyen TB

Will check spelling on this.

Maxine

Batik is still one of my favorites. I guess I just love anything haphazard!

Gosh, meee toooo! That Batik is so.....spontaneous! (I've done batiking and it is very structured to do, but looks like its not!)

This is Proud Tradition.

Wanda - love that Cinnamon Girl. Gorgeous!

Maxine - I got Citoyen from Sutton's this year. Can't wait for that bloom. wow!

Bluegrass - love Proud Tradition. I love that purple-bluish color in iris.

Another one from Suttons.

Hindenberg TB

Enjoy!

Maxine

Maxine--Citoyen is going on my list! Superb!

This sweet baby is "Alluring"

Az Ap--a lovely blue Intermediate. Nice & early for those of you who just can't wait for those Tall Beardeds to bloom....

here is a pic from last spring in my garden.

Here is another pic

here is my iris garden by my driveway

One of Sutton's.

Dawn of Change TB
Will look thru pictures to see if I have a horned TB iris from Sutton's to show you.

Maxine

Wonderful pictures, Ladies, please keep 'em coming..

cceamore, who is the dainty pink lady iris posted at 2:50????

boojum-
Johnny Boy is her name or his? I bought that one at Kmart a few years ago and it is one of my favorite. It is Louisiana Iris.

Thanks everyone... I've enjoyed your photos. Here's Prototype, an interesting new pattern by Joseph Ghio, introduced in 2000.

The color combo is a classic with a new twist. More pics please!