Re: HYB: tall bearded seed to bloom time?

Steve I have only been hybredizing since 1998 so I am no expert. Since you are in Zone 4 MN your growing season is a lot shorter than most. This will be a deterrent in getting bloom the first year> The first year being the year after germination. But it is possible.

Here is a link to my method of pushing seedlings to get first year bloom. I have had SDB's bloom the fall after spring germination. I don't use reblooming TBs in my game plan.
http://home.cinci.rr.com/irisinohio/tipps.htm

In my experience vigor is shown the first year sometimes more vigor the first year than later years. Bloom and branching usually improves for the next 3 years. Sometimes not at all. You will just have to guess what ones to save. Most of the time you can pick out the unworthy ones. Remember you can only save as many as you have to room and time to grow.

My method has worked for me.

Mike Greenfield
Zone 5b
SW Ohio
Region 6
http://home.cinci.rr.com/irisinohio/
----- Original Message ----- From: "mahlberg s" <s_j_mahlberg@yahoo.com>
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 7:07 PM
Subject: [iris] HYB: tall bearded seed to bloom time?


Hello all, I am wondering if anyone has an educated guess on the average time it takes for TB irises to grow from seed to bloom. I am guessing the time is based on location and growing conditions as well as parent stock.
I am wondering becuase I have seedlings from a Purple (Oretta's Shadow?) TB pod x Romantic Evening pollen cross that I grew from seeds that were given to me.
The seedlings grew nicely the first year and gave me a few potential divisions for the second year but haven't flowered yet. I am hoping to see at least one or two flowers this third year coming up. Our growing season actually lasted quite long and irises were still growing up to November this year and last year here, so I don't see the flowering delay resulting from a shortened growing season.
Are there any suggestions that may help in getting these or future seedlings to flower sooner or is it simply a matter of time? I understand that given room, one could grow the seedlings in a greenhouse in the colder areas and get first year results.
One last related question.
I noticed that there is advice on first year blooms. One note was commenting about the first year bloom not showing a plants potential. Does this statement hold true if the iris flowers it's first time after a second or third year of growing?
Thanks for any help.
Steve M. zone 4b northeast MN

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