From Seed To.....

I don't believe I've ever visited this forum before!

I started two 'Rare Treat' irises from seed either two or three years ago. How long should it take from seed to bloom?

They certainly look like blooming size to me.

It's exciting to see your seeds grow. You might very well get bloom this year, but you just have to wait and see. Don't you hate gardening wisdom?
Some rhizomes don't even bloom the first year but that plant looks really happy. You'll have to keep us updated.

Oh, you did REALLY good!
You are such a great MOM! :)

That's really impressive!

Awesome!!! That is so cool!
JanetS

I started tall bearded Iris from seeds and bloom in first year... may be weather is hot here and daylily and Iris mature before time.
Kaleem

Welcome Kaleem. Halfway around the world and the same zone. It's a fun thing. There aren't a lot of zone 9 gardeners here. I'll bet that you have a lot of interesting plants to share. You've been here for a year. Where have you been?

I'm pretty proud of myself! Thanks guys! It's so rewarding to have grown them from seed when most buy divisions. And it was a lot cheaper too!

doss
I am here ...never went any where...... : )
One of the most beautiful plant......Iris and These day I am collecting different plants and colors of Iris. Thanks for the welcome.
Kaleem

And it will be so interesting to find out what you get. A great waiting game. I've got a few started that are only a couple of inches tall. You give me hope.

It helps to just forget about them. Either that or get a HUGE amount of plants so that you're so busy with them, you forget about the irises. Lol. I NEED to see something blooming!

I do have a HUGE amount of plants. :-) Never enough though. And there are always plants that aren't quite making it, and vines to trim, and things to feed ...... I'm never at a loss in the garden. I have a HUGE amount of plants because I love them and I HATE to weed. I just had to rip out my yard a couple of years ago and so my plants need to grow and get HUGE now. And I agree, nothing like flowers all of the time. I'm a little low on flowers now. The daylilies are doing OK and I've put in some million bells. I have a lot of perennials,but the bearded Iris and Wastonia are fading. Some of the Clematis are just beginning and it will be awhile for the Cannas. Then the dahlias at the end of the season. I'm just trying to fill in color while I go now.

Bet you have some secrets for flowers after the iris?

I'm also at a loss for flowers, this cool spring really isn't helping my plants along!!! >:( Lol. I keep telling myself there'll be flowers all year long as soon as I get my green house!

Secrets for flowers? Whatcha mean?

I mean magic ways to keep your garden in bloom all year long. I'm always interested in what people use for that. We're in different zones but it's a lovely design question, don't you think?

And you must have seen Disney's "Alice in Wonderland"? Now how's that for an esoteric response?

I guess the trick is just to plant things that will bloom in waves. The trick here, because not many things will bloom in freezing conditions, is to plant things that provide winter interest.

I'm not so interested in that but my mom plants evergreens in landscaping our house and seems intent on trying to convert our hardwood woods into evergreens for some reason. I thnk it's silly because hardwood is the last step in the developement of a forest. The woods are perfected, if you will.

If my plants talked like the flowers in "Alice in Wonderland", I'd have no hope of ever leaving my gardens! It's bad enough now but could you imagine, "Come on! Grow faster!".

"I don't wanna!"

"Please! I'll be your best friend!"

Here is my Blue bearded Iris from seeds.
Kaleem

I think part of the secret of continuous bloom is a plant with a long bloom period. Columbines last so long. They were blooming last week (or before) and will go through July. It's a good idea to keep a simple list, on the computer of what's blooming or coming into bloom, day by day. The bleeding hearts, pink and white are up and the forever blooming bleeding heart is blooming and will continue to frost. Ajugas, pansies, end of tulips, English daisies are just a few I can think of that are all in bloom now. We gardeners are a greedy lot and we just want bountiful flowers every day.

Beautiful Iris from seed. What good luck Kaleem. Thanks for the suggestions pirl. It's true that bountiful flowers everyday is what I'm working toward.