Most annoying!

Lovely seedlings, Paul! Your post reminded me that I sowed some Sib. seeds this fall. They were sold as a mix harvested from 'New Hybrids'. Completely forgot about them (I sow a lot of seeds ) and now I am all excited about them again!

Siberians got a boost this year with Swans in Flight winning the Dykes medal.

Swans in Flight
Taken at Schreiners Iris Garden during the 2015 AIS Convention.

I grow about a dozen in pots (because we have alkaline soil). They do OK. What really helps is giving them a monthly feeding of Mir-acid and fish emulsion. The foliage looks very strong. We'll have to see how they bloom this coming spring.

I've had one here that came with me when I moved in '97... It's never bloomed. I had some years ago at my first house that did bloom, so I don't know what's going on with this one.. I think I've been more than patient... I was under the impression that we didn't have enough winter chill, but if you're growing them in 10b, you're warmer than I am Paul...
Carl, what varieties are you growing?

I'll have to go out and check tomorrow (if I have time) or Thursday. I don't have them written down.
I haven't gotten a lot of bloom but I am being much more regular with my fertilizing. The last time that happened they bloomed well. I do grow I. sanguinea 'Kamayama' in the ground and it blooms every year. The more water it gets, the better the bloom.


This one was supposed to be a calsibe but I'm pretty sure it is Shaker's Prayer. It bloomed for us last year.

Sherry all my siberians flower beautifully each year, except for an unknown white with yellow on the falls.It flowers, but the blooms are often down in the foliage.This year , it is a little better with huge blooms, but then again its been a good year for sibs, about 1c colder this winter than average with a lot of rain and strong gales, probably giving a good chill effect.We don't get frost here of course.

Lilli, the sib seedlings are pretty tough, they out grow weeds here.I couldn't keep up with the weeds this year, they had taken over one bed of seedlings and were going to seed.So, knowing the root system on the sibs, I ran the mower over the bed (to get rid of the weed seeds forming) and the siberian seedlings never missed a beat,--growing nicely now.I hope I never have to do that again.But honestly, I'm getting too old to do everything now..
Carl, nice to see a white siberian, Swans in Flight'' winning the Dykes Medal.I like to see white in the garden.BTW ''Shakers Prayer'' gave me some nice seedlings this year, a bit small perhaps, but excellent branching.

Robin, I also don't belong to the Victorian Iris Society, but should join.As I live at whoop-whoop, I can't get to any meetings, but they do have at least two shows on in Melbourne.Why not give them another try?
Here are two more seedlings flowering this year.Th e blue is a sdl from my favourite''Golden Edge'' (pic in OP)

I love the smokey subtlety of the last one, Paul. Gorgeous.

Sherry, your soil may not be acidic enough for the Siberian. Can you find some Mir-acid to add to the soil? that might help for bloom.

cliftoncat said:I love the smokey subtlety of the last one, Paul. Gorgeous.

My avatar is a photo of my Siberian "Butter and Sugar" in bloom last year. I have a total of 6 Siberians planted, that I look forward to seeing in bloom in the Spring/Summer.

It's also nice that you can leave a clump for years without having to dig it and split it up every two or three years.

So true!

I don't have a lot of Sibs, but the ones I do have grow so fast into huge clumps that I do have to dig them or they would take over the garden. Neal sent me some in 2015, they haven't bloomed yet, but boy do they grow fast here. I'm sure they will bloom next year.

Too much horse manure there, Tom?

lilli i like your emoji ending. made me chuckle....how many horses do you have tom?

I am "down" to 19 head right now. One due to foal in the spring.