I'm on my way Margie for that V-8 but I have to bring the salt! :-)- Your LA's are gorgeous and your photos are always so well done. I have some growing in a pond in the backyard but I also have them growing on one of my hills and they are loving it there. The ones in the big garden never look as good as the ones I have planted here. Maybe I better dig a trench and water better. (ya think, Louise?)
English Charm.
very pretty iris guys, I am excited as my seedlings, are starting to sprout, a few here and there, first time doing them so it is neat:)
D,......yes, one can just stick them in a kiddy pool, buckets of water, or anything that has at least 18 inches of water. I've had mine in large buckets and in huge multi-gallon Rubbermaid containers as we went into the winter months (because I came down with Valley Fever for 7 months). Occasionally it would freeze, and the water would freeze over for 2-3 days in a row. (usually never longer than that) At first I worried about the plants, but as the ice thawed it didn't seem to faze the plants a bit.
However, if you are in an area where there are long stretches of freezing water I'd follow Betty's (pajaritomt) advice and bring them indoors or into a green house. I think I put fertilizer in the buckets just once over that period of 8-9 months and I was surprised how well they did. They grew just as tall, and bloomed just as nicely.
I usually keep all my LA's growing in my pond, but sometimes things happen and you can't finish what you started. I came upon this "bucket" method purely by accident. It is such a relief to know it works. It would also work well if you need to ID an LA by keeping it separate until it blooms.
:-)
~Margie
Thank you Margie...who would have thought.
D
This one has been around awhile, introduced by Danielson in 1972, but remains at the top of my Arilbred list. The lovely, GENETIC ARTIST.
Here's CALIFORNIA BOY, a Standard Dwarf Bearded that has done well in the Texas heat. Introduced by Richard Tasco in 2004
Another Standard Dwarf Bearded, BUTTONWOOD, introduced by Tasco in 2005
Hi Zac,
That GENETIC ARTIST is to die for!!! I've got to get one of those!! (and here I am trying to cut back). :-)
Your photos are so good! I hope you add them to the Plant Files.
~Margie
I can look at all the new parents now as the 2007 R & I came today, I know more of the median pedigrees. Sometimes a decision has to be made between plants based on background as there is only so much space in the beds. When the background is the same, just pick one. It is probably the non-chosen sib which does better. I do like them registered the yr. before intro. so I can study things, but that's just me. Anyway I can't count garden spots because of the snow. Should have been doing that last fall. Keep the pictures coming, even the snowdrops are covered now.
Zac,
Genetic Artist and California Boy ---- (I've got to have them) - are stunning!!!!
Beautiful iris you folks. How many great iris to love. Here's a Louisiana called "Let Freedom Ring"
Here's Waimea Canyon
Doss
I had never seen this as it has not bloomed
Looking forward NOW to seeing
Thank you
D
Candy Apple Classic is one I wouldn't be without. It's got great plant habits in addition to being beautiful. It's one of Maryott's before he got out of the iris business.
IrisMa, I need to order the 2006 and 2007 R&I's! You are right - - that is the best way to decide which irises to keep and which ones to let go (at least for us hybridizers who have little space) There is valuable pedigree information found in those books (and lurking in the background of those irises) .
Hi Doss, :-)
I like "Let Freedom Ring" (good photo of it too) ....................love the coloring on it. AND...........I just love "Waimea Canyon"......................it's has a lot going on with ALL those rich colors. ('eye catching'). Where did you find that one?
~Margie
You can get Waimea Canyon Sunrise at Napa Country Iris I believe
http://www.napairis.com/showiris.php?name=WAIMEA%20CANYON%20SUNRISE
Thank you, Dorothie. :-) When does your bloom season for irises begin?
~Margie
Here's "It's All Good" blooming right now. Actually the season starts in April here. I've had to spray for leaf spot already and fed my iris last week. Has it started for you yet Margie?
I love so many of them but Genetic Artist certainly is a standout and Candy Apple Classic impressed me on the iris forum last year, so I ordered it and planted it. It seems to be doing well so I am hoping for bloom this year, its first.
It now appears that all of my Louisiana Iris survived here outdoors -- Black Gamecock, Lizzoo, and Full Eclipse. 3 are in pots, 1 is in soil. Whether they will bloom or not is a different story, but it is fun to push the zone limits.
Marge I can grow LA's in a bucket or rubbermade tub??? How often do I need to change out the water?? I ahve wanted some for so long but have no pond yet!!
I grow my LAs in the ground. They like acid and damp but will tolerate regular garden conditions. They don't have to be swamp plants.
Here they are.
Oh they are beautiful, Doss. If the one I put in the soil does well, I will move them all to the soil. I was delighted to see a little green triangle of iris leaf poking out of the snow this morning!
Dorothie, spring blooms won't begin here for another 3-4 weeks or so. Only a few rebloomers seem to bloom these fist months of the year. I have IT'S ALL GOOD too. I really like it.
Betty, that is so wonderful your LA's survived your cold winter without protection. I'm glad you pushed those zone limits, even more so if they bloom. I wonder if the snow helped to protect them.
Marie....................yes, you most certainly can grow those in buckets or tubs. it wouldn't be my first choice of course, but if you'll eventually have a pond to grow them in, then, I see no reason why not to start now. You know - - one can grow canna's that way too. As we moved from one home to our new home I dug up some canna's to take with us, and for months (up to a year actually) those canna's grew and bloomed in those buckets. I couldn't believe it either. Rain water is best for the La's, so I'd collect rain water. (Hose water works OK too, but usually it has chlorine in and that seems to slow down growth some). When the rain water ran out I'd use the hose. I didn't change out the water, I only added to it. NOTE: As Doss said above - - they like acid, so when you feed them use water soluble acid fertilizers.
Hope this info helps. :-)
~Margie
This is my favorite Arilbred iris:
VERA MARINA
Beautiful Margie. I also used an acid planting mix when I put my LA's in the ground. We have alkaline water here too so it's important for me to acid up with fertilizers. I have a lot of camellias and azaleas though so for me it's just part of the program. I do them all at once.
I never knew there was anything like an acid planting mix, Dorothie. Where did you find yours?
:-)
At the garden center. It's used for planting azaleas and camellias.
Miracid, for one.
Margie Based on your picture I ordered Vera-Marina last year then went nuts and ordered Vera, and Vera Ruby as well
Maybe this year I'll get the rest of the Vera series
This is Vera-Anne last year
This is Turkish Topaz it is its 4th year here in Maryland where everyone knows you can not grow Arils
:)
A
Thanks Margie and doss I think I might get some this year. What is the best place to order la's from?
Margie and Anita,
I love your arils, but I have to get the ones I have in the ground before I order any more. Otherwise I would be rushing out now to buy those Veras.
LOL
Anita, I'm glad you got those. They are so unique aren't they? I almost lost TURKISH TOPAZ last year due to grubs. Too bad we don't live in a perfect world - where insects would just admire the plants and not eat them.
Marie, here are a couple of links to buy LA's from. These two places are among the best in my opinion.
http://www.iriscitygardens.com/
http://www.zydecoirises.com/IndexPage/Catalog.htm
Betty, you sound like me. So often I am working on irises, that there is always something out of the ground. LOL
~Margie
Margie - that Zydeco is positively addicting! ICG is good (and their plants are so wonderful) but Zydeco is great.
