Re: Forcing bearded irises for early bloom

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Thanks Dennis, Anita and Sean!
I think I will give Rev. Harrison's method a try. I'm probably going to need the variegata [Beardsley clone] to bloom at least a month earlier than normal (maybe up to two months). I'm going to be using it in an interploid cross onto aphylla. Aphylla is one of the first to bloom here and variegata is one of the last. I've tried the reverse cross multiple times and had no success, but interploid crosses typically have been more successful for me using the tetraploid as seed parent (contrary to conventional wisdom). If the forced variegata is a little too early, that's no problem - I can always store the pollen until the aphylla is ready.
Thanks again for the suggestions and link!
Tom