Forcing Reticulated Iris

Hello,

I am so hoping that someone here can send me in the right direction for some info. I just purchased some reticulated iris bulbs and would like to force them. I've done a lot of bulbs in the past, but I realized that I don't know a thing about these. Do they need to be chilled? If someone has already asked this I'd appreciate being directed to the thread.

Thanks in advance,
Juanita

i would say they need to be chilled. they are one of the first bulbs to bloom in late winter early spring, around the same time as crocus's.
i don't think i've ever heard of anyone forcing reticulate iris's. they are very pretty, most intense blues i've seen, but they are very small. maybe 3-4 inches.

Thanks Len,

I had seen them last winter in a shop. Sometime in January or so and I assumed they had been forced. Maybe I'll just stick them in the ground somewhere yet and enjoy them that way.

Thanks again,
Juanita

Ok....here we go.....

Plant now....
Keep between 60-65 degrees F.....
Take inside the living room end of February
Will flower around March 10
Good luck.

I think it must definitely be necessary to plant them and not just to chill them as bare bulbs in order to develop the flowers... A couple years back, I bought some iris reticulata from a guy who told me I could chill them in the cold garage (temps above freezing), then plant them about 4 weeks before I wanted flowers... Well, I got leaves sprouting up from them, but not a single bloom. Next time, I will ask Bleek! :-)

I just do the easy ones. The nursery in Boerne (colder climate than ours) had just gotten their new amaryllis bulbs in. I love having them for Christmas and after that I have to plant paperwhites and hyacinth.

Keep bulbs (Iris Reticulata) at 48 degrees F. from late August until end of first week of October
Then plant and keep at 48 degrees F
Take inside in a room about 60 degrees F by the middle of December
Will flower in early Janauary

This message was edited Nov 10, 2007 10:42 PM

Can they be colder than 48 degrees as long as they do not actually freeze?

If so, then I am thinking those instructions might translate (for me) to:

1. Keep bare bulbs in fridge for 6 weeks. (no fruits/vegs in fridge)

2. Pot up, and keep in fridge for another 6 to 8 weeks.

3. Move pot to basement window (avg. temp is about 60 degrees in winter) for a couple of weeks until leaves and buds form.

4. Take pot upstairs to enjoy blooms.

Does that sound like it would work, Bert?

If it is 45 then it is OK but not any colder. 48 is the optimum temp. The rest sound like you worded it right.

That is why growers have special rooting rooms with optimum temps and humidity. What you are doing is fooling Mother Nature and she is no dummy. You do it wrong and she punishes you with a 'no-show'. However if you do it right then she rewards you with an early Spring.

One that goes really well is Narcissus Tete a Tete. Plant 5 bulbs in a 6" pot and enjoy 15-20 flowers on it.

Happy Indoor Gardening.

Hmm. I will have to check to be sure that 45 degrees will also be OK for the hot sauce, pickles, etc. that are also stored in that fridge... might work! I need a "dedicated" plant fridge, but I think I need to slide into that one gradually, LOL.