Bearded Iris (Re: Bulb questions...)

[Drew Lawson]

I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris

>plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant >food/fertilizer?

While I have grown bearded iris for years, I have not experimented much with the advice that I have read. That said, the advice I read long ago was that bearded iris will not bloom if they are planted too deep. The rhizomes should (I am told) be at least a little exposed above the soil level.

It may be chance, but that is how I have always planted/replanted them, and the only failure to bloom I've seen is in the plants this year, which were transplanted much later than they should have been last year. (One of four is blooming.)

I've rarely done much to feed iris, other than keeping a mulch for the worms to work in. They seem to do pretty well in pretty poor clay, though I couldn't say how.

All of that is living in seasonal climates (Ohio and N. Virginia). I never grew iris in a freeze-free climate (though I know they do well).

[Fran Farmer]

Yep. They like to get some baking rays of the sun on those bits above the soil.

They also don't like being crowded. If left too long before being lifted and separated, they don't flower well. Additionally once each rhizome has flowered, that rhizome won't flower again but it will produce new rhizomes in the late summer and these will usually flower int he following summer.

[elfa45]

I think this is my problem. They have been in the ground for about a year. They don't show any signs of producing anything...so maybe this summer? I'm about ready to just dig them up and toss out to make room for something else.

[Fran Farmer]

You should be able to leave them undisturbed for at least 3 years before they'd be considered to be too crowded because they grow and crowd themselves out. If you've crammed them in amongst other plants so that they are crowded form the start then that could (just could) be a problem.

Check first to make sure that a) you haven't planted them too deep (the rhizome should show at least a third above the soil) and b) they are getting enough heat and light (at least 6 hours of full sun per day) and, c) you haven't over fed them so that they are producing lots of leaves but no flowers.