Sowing Iris orchioides

[JPB]

Lesley, indeed they are under pressure to show a fast-germination-trick. Together with some frits (F. collina and F. pallidiflorus) from Central Asia this is my first Iris to sow and I can't wait to grow these species (F. collina has germinated a few days ago! Yes!).

Maggi, I once put a bag with apples around a Nerium oleander that refused to flower (Ethylene also induces flowering). Nothing happened and when I removed the bag a week later, all leaves fell off 
Ethylene, like other plant hormones, apparently has many functions depending on concentration. I didn't know that then...

Hans

[Andrew]

This seems an appropriate place to share my experiment on Iris magnifica seeds.



Hopefully you can see eight pots in the picture. The four on the left were 2007 seeds (stored in fridge over winter) on the right, fresh 2008 seeds, all sown in October 2008.
The four back (top) pots were a soiled based compost, the front (bottom) peat based (previously used, no prizes for spotting the cyclamen that has decided to germinate now).
The two pots on the left in the year groups had part of the seed lightly cut off the others did not, none of the seeds were soaked. Is that all clear as mud ?!
The number of seeds germinating in 2009 were :-
11 2 5 1
13 8 11 5
This year I had :-
11 7 5 7
12 9 11 14
So I had no new germination from the seeds that were cut (I actually lost one) but the uncut seeds have germinated more and this is also true of seeds I planted in 2007 as I have had new germination in these pots which were again uncut.

[Lesley Cox]

I need to read that one through a couple more times to find out exactly what it means.

I think if I were to put a bag of apples or bananas under a bush to encourage flowering, the possums would eat them. "Oh great, she's putting out pudding for us."

[Janis Ruksans]

I'm sowing all Iris seeds immediately (~1 week after) harvesting. Older seeds or those received from others are soaked 24 hours in water and after that I scrape with sharp knife small spot on seeds coat, opening white endospermus at minor spot. It helps excellently, otherwise germination really happens during first 5 years (by G. Rodionenko during 15 years) making quite difficult replanting as in pot coexist seedlings of various age (1 - 5 years) and still seeds which not started germination.
Janis

[daveyp1970]

Janis the next time you do this to your iris seed can you take a photo of the seed after your operation please.But on a better note my iris lactea var lactea from kurt have germinated.