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Bearded Iris - Page 2

© Gary Buckley

Planting time will arrive when the grower's box packed with delight, lands in your mail. Open it and air the rhizomes, but not in direct sunshine. The fans have not seen the light of day for nearly a week.

Fanning the direction, by which I mean that the way the fan sits off the rhizome is going to be the likely growth of the plantings into the future, so how it is situated now determines the future growth and flowerings; not to mention the look of the clump.

Spacing is important, given that you don't want to be dividing next year. Ideally, I find, every three to four years seems best to divide.

Planting space, allow about a foot apart in all directions, remember you need to get in to weed and also smell the flowers. Dig your hole and place the first rhizomes in the centre on a slightly raised mound made by scooping the friable soil with your hand into the centre of the hole.

Now fan out gently the roots anchoring them in all directions then gently cover the teased out roots with your hand. I don't like using instruments at this point as injuries to the rhizome will be a contact point for disease to enter.

This anchoring now will put you in good stead as they grow and become top heavy with flowers.

Back fill the first hole so that the rhizome is buried at least an inch deep. Because I have it seems always lived in windy climates I cover mine to a depth of two inches. Firm the soil around your planting with your hand.

Repeat the above until your order is planted, them give them a gentle yet thorough soaking in.

(If you, because of circumstance have not amended the soil; then do not cover the back of the rhizome.)

Water once a week if you are not getting rained upon. While you were watering, within the first few weeks branch roots will have formed underground further anchoring your plantings. By the end of the first month you will be noticing some new leaf growth emerging from the centre of the fan. You have done well, this indicates the Iris is alive and happily growing. Over the coming weeks and months you will notice as new leaves continue to grow that those on the outside slowly wither, and die off. Remove these spent leaves and you will not have any trouble with over wintering pests and diseases.

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