WHERE TO PLANT
Find a location where your Iris will receive full sun. In warmer climates, a bit of afternoon shade is fine.
For outdoor planting, choose a spot with well-draining soil. If you notice water puddles 56 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site or amend the soil with organic material such as compost, ground bark, or decomposed manure.
For container planting, keep in mind that Bearded Irises grow into large, perennial plants with rhizomes that expand into an extensive network over time. Choose a pot, barrel, tub, or urn that’s at least 2 gallons with drainage holes.
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HOW TO PLANT
Plant Irises in late summer or early fall, when the night-time temperatures are between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Space your Iris rhizomes 812″ apart and position them horizontally, so the tops are just peeking above the soil surface, and the roots are spread out in the soil below.
- Pack the soil around the Iris, leaving a portion of the rhizome and foliage uncovered. In warmer climates, cover the rhizome with 1/2″ to 1″ of soil to prevent the rhizome from sustaining sun damage.
- Water thoroughly following planting to settle the soil. After the initial watering, ease off on the water; your bulb doesn’t need more moisture until roots develop and foliage begins to grow.
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HOW TO GROW
- Water your Bearded Irises regularly once the foliage starts to develop until about six weeks after the flowers have faded.
- Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring and after the first round of flowering to encourage an abundance of blooms.
- Cut a few blooms for beautiful, often lightly fragrant bouquets.
- Remove the spent flower stems after blooming has finished for the season, but leave the foliage in place.
- Trim the foliage back to about 6 above the rhizome following the first hard frost, removing any leaves that appear spotted or yellowed.
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