Reticulate Iris - 2014

[Alan McMurtrie]

98-GP-5 (photos taken in Holland)
This hadn't been a favourite when it first bloomed. But when I saw it in Holland this year I thought "Wow, that's lovely"

[Diane Whitehead]

That's an amazing number - is it just natural increase?

[Alan McMurtrie]

Yes, just natural increase.  A little over doubling ever year.  Which is why it takes 12+ years to get 100,000 bulbs -- the point at which large-scale sales can begin.

Tissue culture can shave a couple of years off getting to market, but just a couple.  You still need to first test the variety for a couple of years.  Once you decide to put it in the lab it takes just over 2 years to get say 2000 bulbs.  The first year in the field the bulbs don't really increase; sort of like taking a plant from being indoors under lights, to outdoors in the sunlight - there's some setback.

Here's a picture of 01-FS-2


At the moment there's perhaps 100 bulbs (30 bloom-size) + 50 bulblets

[Jacek]

Alan,

I can see on your pictures, that the Dutch growers use straw to mulch their fields. Do you know why?

My understanding is that this is a traditional method to protect bulbs from winter frost damage, as snow cover is not guaranteed. Taking into account that bulb growing has 400+ years history in Holland this need is understandable. Yet winters in Europe are much milder now than they used the be 100 years ago. Is such protection still needed in case of bulbs that are rather hardy, like iris? Or there is some other need? Or may be they plant the bulbs shallow in the soil so they are more exposed to the frost damage?

To give an example. 2 years ago we had a "disastrous" cold snap in continental Europe in January/February. Yet in Holland the absolute minimum temperature during this snap was 3 F or -16 C only (Rotterdam). I do not think such temperature may do any harm to hardy bulbs.

Is there any other reason to use straw or the tradition only?

[Alan McMurtrie]

In The Netherlands there is often quite a strong wind in the bulb fields.  Straw is actually used to keep the sandy soil from blowing when the outer layer dries out.

Here in Toronto, Canada straw is used for a different purpose: to protect against thawing in the middle of Winter.  Occasionally at the end of January or early February we can have a warm spell for a number of days and snow on the raised beds melts.  The goal is to keep the soil frozen; whether by straw or some other mulch (leaves have a tendency to blow once they dry out).  Otherwise seeds or small bulblets near the soil surface feel the warmth of the thawing and think it's time to start growing.  Their cell sap starts to flow and it's freezing point rises -- the plant can no longer withstand the cold temperate that it could just a few days prior.  The bulbs can easily withstand temperatures of -25°C, but if it goes to +10°C at the soil surface (I'm not sure what the actual temperature is 1cm deep, but its above freezing re: wet muddy soil), and that's followed quickly by -25°C you can find virtually nothing comes up in a seedling patch.  Whereas the prior year there had been lots of grass-like shoots (first year seedlings).  Of course over the span of a couple of years, the bulb's contractile roots pull the seedling deeper into the soil, so by the time the bulbs are bloom-size, their base is about 7cm deep.

Since there's not much to look at when a thaw occurs in the middle of Wimter I don't have any pictures of that.

I've got lots of pictures of having a snow fall in April when things are in bloom.  In that case temperatures are just a bit below freezing and seedling and small bulbs are unaffected.  The snow acts like an insulator to the cold air temperature, and the soil remains soft.

April 11, 2013

[Jacek]

Thanks, Alan. Obviously I am experimenting with bulbs outside in the garden. Loses are significant.

Regarding group of reticulata irises I have not noticed any loses due to frost, even after thaw. Only leaves tips in case of severe frost. But I do not have any seeds, thus I do not have seedlings. And I plant everything as deep as I can.

Unfortunately reticulatas do not have any tendency to naturalize in my garden despite I persuade them to do this for me.

I'm happy you are able to persuade Dutch growers to grow your beauties commercially. May be via Holland they will become available to me. Are they fertile?

[Alan McMurtrie]

Yes, generally speaking my hybrids are fertile.  The key is which parents were used.  Typically my hybrids are either 2n=18, or 2n=20.  Bold’n Beautiful isn't fertile for example because it's a cross between 2n=20 and 2n=16 (I. histrioides)

Take a look at www.Reticulatas.com

The key issue with freeze/thaw cycles is having a warm spell followed by a sudden prolonged very cold spell.  Buds of fruit trees can be similarly affected.  They can withstand freeze thaw cycles no problem, but if they get fooled into starting into growth and a sudden deep cold snap comes along, there goes your fruit crop for that year.

Reticulatas tend to be very hardy since they are from mountainous regions.  Only Iris vartanii is tender.

Reticulatas need a bit of attention for them to do well.  I recommend replanting some into a new spot in the garden every 2 years or so.  Good drainage when the bulbs are ripening (leaves dieting down) is also important.  Don't plant them too close together, yes it makes for a nice display, but if disease gets in it will wipe them all out.

[Leena]

I bought last autumn some bulbs from Estonia and they are nameless McMurtrie hybrids. The seller had bought them from Netherlands but the labels were wrong and so he sold them as a mix. These are very nice, and earlier than normal I.reticulata (bought from garden center). Nine out of ten look like the  ones in the first picture and one was darker and there was little green also in the flowers. They are also quite hardy because they flower in spite of freezing night temperatures. I hope they also come up next year, and multiply.

[Alan McMurtrie]

Spring is finally here in Toronto, Canada.

One of my F1 danfordiae x sophenensis hybrids "bursting" through the snow.

In another bed 07-CE-1 had opened earlier in the day.

[Maggi Young]

Spring is finally here in Toronto, Canada.

One of my F1 danfordiae x sophenensis hybrids "bursting" through the snow.

In another bed 07-CE-1 had opened earlier in the day.

Crikey, Alan - to say that while there is still snow on the ground is optimistic!  I hope you are  right and that the coming spring is good to you and the Iris!

[Alan McMurtrie]

It's been cool over the last 2 days, but there's a touch more colour showing.

Here's a bud of 03-AQ-1


I have a feeling this will be a new colour/shade [92A Violet-blue] 08-BN-1


A couple of nice blues with veining.  07-P-2 is new, but 07-P-1 opened for the first time last year.
Here's last year's picture, so you can see what's about to be revealed.

[art600]

A clump of 07-P-1 would look spectacular

[Rimmer de Vries]

IRIS ZAGRICA
nice little thing blooming this week in SE Michigan USA

[Maggi Young]

IRIS ZAGRICA
nice little thing blooming this week in SE Michigan USA

I love this colouring.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely little Iris Rimmer