You know what we call a warm pool over here? A hot tub...

Seriously though, my sister warms up her pool to 90 degrees...in the Summer! Nothing like trying to cool off on a 100+ degree day in a 90 degree pool.

When in Florida our pool was kept at 90F in summer/fall [solar heated] and hot tub adjacent was 105F, all too hot for me, but good for arthritic joints.

Since everything is bone dry and rain is expected I have been unearthing the rhizomes that have sunk down. Soil is too hard to raise them with a garden fork so digging small drainage channels. I tend to plant high in the clay soil to minimize rot from soaking them, so it's hard to believe that so far I have found 62 clumps that have sunk into this clay requiring the diversion channels to avoid winter wet soaking.

A gift from the hybridizer, Robin Shadlow, - Little Stitches. is blooming today - late October! I'll post it later today when it's more fully opened.
I love these surprises !

UndertheSun said:You know what we call a warm pool over here? A hot tub...

Seriously though, my sister warms up her pool to 90 degrees...in the Summer! Nothing like trying to cool off on a 100+ degree day in a 90 degree pool.

I'm with your sister - I like the water at 30 centigrade (86 F). Some of us are hot blooded!

Maybe that's cold blooded, Mika...you need the heat!

I am off to plant more iris! And find a flower for my honeybee,

Jan - please note what color the beards are for you and if there is reddish brown hafts or not. It changes color. Seriously.

IrisLilli said:

What works for me , might not work for others, but I know I am not the only one here trying out different methods, so hopefully we can exchange results and be inspired by each other - just like always!

I'll be putting some crosses in sterrelite containers and spaced plastic place mats, cut out. It'll create it's own Greenhouse until they seedlings reach the top of the container. Best part, doesn't need to be in a window and can be placed outside, just have to keep it damp so the germinating inhibitors don't kick back in.
Not mine, but same concept and initially critter proof.

Almost like an ornament container.

Exactly! Just a clear top. I have some 10 gal ones already, but bought a 4 or 5gal and will try 6 smaller crosses. Fairly simple and I'll post the step by step for the fun of it a lil later.

Watered the garden since they've gone without since the hurricane and doesn't look like rain is in site anytime soon. One's planted in the lily garden have received water daily since Rob sent them and are solid in the ground!

One observation. Some foliage seamed really flimsy especially after the cooler morning temps. Could it be from the fertilizer added weeks ago? Some foliage is 3.5ft tall and hard as a brick in the same garden area. What's that all about? It seems as its the middle fans that are flimsy, is it because fast growth is taking place? I barely fertilized. Think they just needed water?

I doubt it is the fertilizer. Fast growth after all the rain, and then really warm temps made the leaves tall, but water will help them if they are drooping. After the slight rain today when the cold front comes through we are in a period of really dry weather so you will have to do regular watering for awhile of your newly planted iris.

Cold weather has an effect on the stiffness of my leaves. Have you guys gotten any frost down there yet?

Came close a couple of times here in KC, but still no frost. We have been in a cycle of real warm for about 3 days followed by low temps for another 3 days. AC to heat back to AC. The Iris don't seem to mind it a bit. And zero rebloomers.

Blessings

No frost yet in NC.

Frost a few times here. Tomatoes, Dahlias, and basil were heavily effected. Iris blooms are intact. It's a heavy frost that will make me sad.

It'll be a while before frost here.

We've had frost off and on for the last couple of weeks. No damage to anything I can see.

Leslie, a little bee-speckled friend would be cute!

Little Stitches. sdb. blooming this morning:





Ace on deck: