I have never read that but it seems that mine do. Also, they seem to be earlier than my earlies...Ellie

I havent noticed that..

Bloom times and scape formation are dependant on the weather... more than anything else.. lots of rain and sun and hightertemps will be the biggest factors always.. Nice fertile soil will be next.. I wouldnt factor seedling bloom time as a major factor from what Ive experienced.. but others may disagree.. Mine bloom usually from mid july to late august.. typical times for a adult plant here.. if they bloom a week earlier, I would place that more into the previous mentioned factors..

Silverkelt

Thanks Ellie,
So do your seedlings bloom later as they get older?
I have heard that you can't tell foliage type the first year and am wondering how long it takes to tell Bloom season.
Debbie

I agree Silverkelt that weather plays a huge role in when bloom season begains each year and that would make it difficult to compare from year to year when a seedling should bloom.
I keep records of when all of my known cultivars bloom the first time each year so I can try to factor out the weather issue. Then I know if it is any early, late or average year. It works pretty well for at least the first bunch. They are remarkably similar as far as days out from the usual goes. As the season progresses things can change as the weather can change more and some can catch up or get further behind the first ones.
I guess I will have to do the same with all of my seedlings to see if they are any earlier this first year than next and compare that to my known cultivars.
I love this research stuff!!
Debbie

I've never heard two weeks earlier, but never bloomed seedlings will be the first to bloom every year. The seedlings have to be just so big to bloom, and if they don't get to bloom one season, then they will bloom early the next season.

Usually by the second bloom season they will settle into their normal bloom period.

I've never noticed a change of foliage habit. Don't think so.
Ed

Thanks Ed,
That is kind of what I had read about the blooming. By next year I should know when they will bloom - at least in relation to my known cultivars!
Last fall I was trying to record the foliage type of my baby seedlings some of which had even gotten big enough to send up scapes their first summer. As our fall progressed it was fairly easy I thought to tell the foliage type. Then someone told me the foliage type wasn't reliable in first year seedlings- that they could do something different the next year. I still have my data and will be looking at them again this fall to see if I was right. I tried this spring but it wasn't as easy as in the fall. It sounded kind of strange to me because a plant should know right off the bat if it is going to go dormant or not.
I can understand a baby seedling being somewhat different to their mature state - like bloom size and height etc. but dormancy didn't sound like something that would develop.
I guess I will see this fall. It is interesting.
Debbie