No, Chuck, I haven't. How do you mean early? Before a bud opens? I've had bloomout fans freeze out before bloom. The fan tended to live all summer, but never put out increase. My best luck has been to not fiddle around with them at all. Occasionally they will put out increase in the fall. Those I've messed with have not been a success. I'm trying to get pods on this one, but I don't know if that might coax any increase or not. The fan would at least probably live 'til the pod ripened. Not sure how willing it will be to pod, either.

Donald

--- In i*@yahoogroups.com, Chuck Chapman <irischapman@...> wrote:
>
> Have you ever tried to deal with potential bloomout by cutting off
> bloom very early?
>
> Chuck Chapman
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donald Eaves <donald@...>
> To: Iris-photos <I*@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sat, Mar 24, 2012 9:22 pm
> Subject: [iris-photos] AB: bloomout sdlg
>
>  
> One effect of the drought was a dearth of increase, so I'm seeing some
> clumps that are going to bloomout. This is one and I'm sorry because I
> like it. The cross is (At Last x Luella Dee) #1 X Energizer for those
> interested. It's the 2nd of only three seedlings that isn't going much
> further. It's not too unusual for me to be relieved to see a clump not
> attempt to bloom. There are five fans and all have stalks. Makes for
> a
> nice show right now, but this seedling will probably be extinct after
> this year.
>
> Donald Eaves
> donald@...
> Texas Zone 7, USA
>