Rebloom Appears on Turkey Day--Read full article
by
Mike Lockatell

My late mother taught me to always look for the silver lining in trying circumstances.This attitude has been particularly useful in coping with setbacks in my personal life including growing and developing cool season bearded iris rebloomers. Events happening this past spring were no exception.

Central Virginia experienced another mid winter this year. Cold and snow was minimal, so the growing season swung into high gear weeks ahead of schedule. Some tall bearded rebloom named varieties and seedlings were already in bloom at my South Richmond display planting in early April with standard dwarf beardeds (SDB) named varieties and seedlings. Median cross pollinations produced viable seed pods and conditions looked bright for more success with the tall beardeds. Fortunes however took an abrupt turn for the worse at my J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College plantings in rural Goochland County, VA. Frosts during April's final weekend destroyed peak flowering and seed pod sets!! Mom's lesson would save the day.