JAPANESE iRIS HAVE ARRIVED TO TEST.

got home from the shop today and the package from PollyK /Siberian Iris Gardens was here. I am so excited. Polly you were so generous. She sent 3Japanese Iris to be tested in this zone for hardiness plus sent me 2 Siberian just cause she is so nice. What healthy plants they are. One of the Siberians even has buds on it. This is what I recieved to test. She just sent them Tuesday-Who says the mail is slow?
Japanese: (Metal signs included)
Picotee Princess
R. Giskard
Silent Thunder
PollyK Rocks. I think I might use that name if you let me.

Siberian: Thanks again, Steph
Fond Kiss
Little Tricolor

Thanks for starting the thread, Steph.

For anyone that doesn't recall, this is an informal test of Japanese iris hardiness.

I was looking in plant files one day, and saw the Japanese irises were only listed hardy to Z6. I know they grow in much colder areas. I asked for hardiness information on the Society For Japanese Iris round robin, and got many replies of them being hardy to Z3, but found out no tests had been done as to the hardiness. Admin at DG agreed to change the hardiness to Z5, but no colder.

Pirl and I decided to do an informal hardiness test, and asked for volunteers. We only got two. Rebloomnut, in Z3a, and Debsroots in Z4.

So Pirl sent Japanese irises to Debsroots, and I sent them to Rebloomnut for the test.

They are going to take pictures and post them on here of the irises after being planted, so we can see how well they are mulched, and then again during the summer so we can see how well they are doing, and in fall so we know how they are going into winter. And then we'll see if they make it over winter.

The Society For Japanese Irises is interested in this mini informal test, so we will keep them posted, also.

Wonderful, I'll be watching.

I grow a few JI's maybe I can help.

Cathy

We're always interested, Cathy. Thanks for your help.

How long have you been growing them and have you ever lost any during any winter?

Thanks Cathy, and to add to Pirls questions how much snowcover do you get in winter?

I have lost several over the years. We had a mild winter here this year. So no losses on the JIs. Although I lost several hosta. As well as a couple siberians.

Cathy

How much snow do you normally get Cathy. Is it quite reliable snowcover?

Not really we are in the mountians of wv and get anywhere from 4" to 24" but it dosent blanket very effectively. It's the bone chillin cold for months that gets them.


Cathy

Do you need anyone from zone 7???I've been looking for Japanese Iris!! They are on my want list. Mekos

Sorry, Mekos, but this test is for the colder zones. We already have JasperDale in Long Beach, California, testing his zone 9 and he's having great success.

Many people in zone 7 have enjoyed JI's for many years. Here's one of mine, Hegira.

Pearl that is beautiful.
Oops ( Pirl)

This message was edited May 31, 2009 6:54 AM

Thanks. Jocasta is another beauty.

I need to buy a farm. Either that or dig up the whole front yard. The H has stopped me so far but he may be in for a suprise very soon. I really like both of those.

No sense having grass.

Oh I so agree. That's it. The lawn goes.

Lawn is a four letter word.

(So is iris but that's a good one, like love.)

Does any know where I can get those colors? I could trade something I have on my list.

Ensata Gardens and Aitkens Salmon Creek are two sources.

Are those sites here at daves? How do I find them?

Here's the link to Ensata Gardens JI pages:
http://www.ensata.com/HTML/PlantPages/japanese_index.htm

Just type Aitkens Salmon Creek into your Google search box to find them.

Soaking the Iris. This is my 1st. photo ever on the net so please be patient. Pollyk has helped me so much.

What I sent Steph was three Japanese irises. A small one of about 4 or 5 fans, which is what normally comes from most JI growers. A little bit larger one, and then a larger one yet. The largest one is a near species and should be hardier. I wanted to do the small one, and the larger one to see if that has any effect on hardiness over winter, going into winter with a larger plant.

Logan Taylor who works for us at our shop dug and prepared the bed for me since I could not. He is a Jewel.

Our little Boy Britches checking out HIS yard. He has to keep an eye on us.

Whoa, Logan! I shared my irises with you, now you can send Logan over, LOL.

Cute markings on your kitty.

Dug in Peat moss and manure.

Planted the Iris.
No Polly. Anything but Logan.LOL

Flooded the bed again and again and then planted the Iris and Pine Mulch over the top.
This has been so fun and I have learned so much. Special thanks to PollyK again.
Steph

You did great! You show all the enthusiasm we could possibly dream of getting in a volunteer. Congratulations!

Thanks bunches Pirl. If you Love something like Iris,Hems etc as much as I do it isn't so much a Labor as it is a privelage to be to do it.
Steph

Yes, we definitely appreciate the enthusiastic follow through!

Here are some pictures of the Japanese Iris Pirl sent me to trial in my zone 4/5 area.

There has been so much rain here that this is the first chance I have had to plant these. We just planted our tomatoes and peppers last week, and have not even planted our green beans yet because of the wet weather.

So here goes

1st picture of all the JI together in pots. These have all been planted by our pond area. By pond, I mean it is an old farm pond. When we built our home 6 years ago we built it around the theme of the pond and the Cottonwood trees. It is on a sloping area that has good drainage, but has alot of clay, so I mixed in peat as well as I could. I have other plants growing in the area that do really well, and am hoping these will enjoy the area as well.

Debbie

2nd picture of Prairie Glory planted.

3rd picture of Fortune

4th picture NOID - Dark Wine

They look good, Debbie. Thanks for the pictures! You did a good job planting them.

Are they in an area where you can keep them pretty moist? And can you put some mulch, like pine needles or pine bark down around them before it gets too hot? That will help considerably.

Debbie and Steph, please keep the JIs really moist all throught the summer. That's key to establishing them the first year. After that they don't need so much water.

Would you and Steph each show us pictures again at the end of the summer, please, so we can see how they are doing? And please keep track for us how the winter goes, such as how much snow you get, and what the temperatures go down to.

You and Steph are very much appreciated for helping Pirl and I with this project.

No problem keeping them moist, and I put mulch around them today.

Pictures at end of summer and I'll track winter temps and snowfall.

Thanks, Debbie

Great, thanks Debbie!

I have asked rebloomnut and Debsroots to post pictures of the Japanese irises now, so we know what they look like going into fall.

Rebloomnut (Steph) did lose Picotee Princess, which is not surprising. When I sent her the irises I sent them in all size divisions as a test, and that was the smallest one.

I really think some of these will survive the winter, and bloom for the testing ladies. Anyone want to place their 'opinion' (not bet), LOL.

I think to survive the JIs in the north need to be planted in the spring, planted in LARGE divisions, and mulched really well.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and thank you Steph and Deb for trialling them for us.