Hi guys!
Well leave it to Lynn to get the ball rolling. After she proposed the idea of doing a workshop on hybridizing, I realized this needs to be in two parts. One where we learn how to grow seedlings and then evaluate keepers from not keepers. That part of the program would be in the spring, when the rosettes are at their best color and when the seedlings are ready to be transplanted so that both of these issues could be covered. In the "good ol' days", Bill Nixon would come up and visit each spring and help with the evaluation of the seedlings, plus there was an extensive planting at the Crane estate in Dalton MA where cultivars were evaluated. Our mantra then was DISTINCTIVE and I think that still is the most important criterion. No sense in duplicating the past. In those days, it was possible to have virtually every cultivar available. Much harder now, although the Internet has given us pictures of many things that we don't grow ourselves.
The second part would be on the actual crossing, including the mechanics of the pollination and protecting the blossoms from insect crossing, choosing parents, and collecting and storing the seed. I may have a surprise visitor for that one. Stay tuned!!!
Besides my own material, I have ~85 coming from Fernwood Nursery in the UK to add to my collection of ~300 so there should be a lot to see. I'll try to schedule this first session during either peak daffodil or early bearded iris bloom seasons so there will be much else to see. The Willamette Valley is alive with nurseries so it should be a good vacation.
Hope these agendas sound good to you!
Kevin
