I had not grown any seedlings for many years but summer of 2010 I made a number of crosses. I use the "refrigerator" method. These germinated Jan 2011. I pushed them and planted them out in Mid-May. Here they are July 11...just over 6 months old. Should have good bloom 2012. Some are 18 inches tall. If you are growing some lets see a picture.
Some are starting to put up increase.

the nursery

Fantastic, Paul! And I can't wait to see those seedlings next spring!

good for you. My seeds were not put out in time as the snow beat me to it. Hope they will germinate next spring. I tried to get rid of seedlings which I did not want this yr. Managed some but rain during SDB season, a full week of it kept many from observation & BBs got away from me as other tasks intervened. Will try to do better next spring. I managed to mark some which were keepers.

I got some great seedlings this year and it looks like you did a great job Paul
:)
A

I have a lot of seedlings that I planted this spring and hope that they bloom next year. I only did one cross this year, but there are a lot of bee pods that I am going to harvest seeds from too.

Seedlings look wonderful but the question remains " what will they look like when they bloom"?

Next year I hope to have seedlings... then the year after blooms...

This is "It's So Fine" a lovely plicata that grows well has great form and good garden presence.


This is Minidragon
Great color and although not apparent in this pic great form



I was expecting plics or darks never this




Sometimes you get what you think you might get other times God has other plans
:)

Happy to find this thread waiting for me as I was about to start one asking whether I can grow seeds from the pods on my iris! How do you actually do this? I assume i need to let the pods dry and open up so the seeds are ripe... then what?

TIA
Sandy

There are many ways as Paul used a refrigeration method I get enough snow that I plant my seeds in a soil mix of top soil, sand and seed starter in a pot in November and cover them with a little soil and allow nature to take its course. Usually in May I start getting seedlings. They germinate usually in the order they bloom so dwarfs and arils first the medians then talls, siberians etc.

A dumb newbie question here....but I didnt realize that Iris had seeds How do you collect them? I have TB iris.. and when do they go to seed?

beneath the flower is an overy which swells if fertilization has taken place and forms a seed pod these are large swellings and pretty obvious

Anita...would you harvest that pod at that stage?

Heaven knows we have plenty of winter where I am - so I'll just wait until later on, then, and pot them up, and maybe leave them in my (unheated) hoop house. (does that sound like a good idea??) Alternatively, I could plant them in the ground in the HH (or outside, for that matter), if anyone who has experience with this thinks it would be a better idea!

Thanks Anita! I havent noticed any ovaries on mine but at least now I'll know what they are and where to look

Yep, they're pretty easy to spot, Annmarie - one of those "you'll know it when you see it" things; but if you've been efficient at tidying up the garden and cut the spent flowers all off, you won't get any. (being too tidy is not a problem I usually have in any aspect of my life!)

Some of my seedlings March 2011. Went out into the nursery bed May 15, 2011.

Paul I would probably get the pod before this stage when it starts yellowing and is very soft. The seeds at that stage are already seperated and ready to fall out of the pod and I do not run the risk of missing it and losing seeds.

Weedwhacker - leaving them in the hoop hose will not allow them to get the snow and rain and this they need to get rid of the coating that prevents germination which is why most soak their seeds several days ( changing water everyday) to get rid of this chemical from the seed.

:)
A

Mighty fine looking seedlings there, Paul! Can't wait to see pictures next year!