Growing Iris

Growing Iris is one of the easiest things you can do. Whether your soil is clay, sand, loam, or rocky. Iris like to be dry, Iris like the sun. The three most important ingredients in growing iris are well drained soil (dry), a sunny location, and proper planting depth.

Preparing the Soil: Actually preparing the soil is less important than making sure the ground is pretty much weed free. Weeds tend to start growing in the iris rhizomes which makes weeding a nightmare. Iris are tough so you do not need to work the soil a lot to get them motivated and growing. You can get by with just working up the top couple of inches if your soil is naturally well draining. If your soil is slow to drain you might want to think about raised beds but even that is not necessary if they get a chance to dry out between drenchings.

I've tossed Iris thinnings out into the lawn and had them take root and start growing, dunno that the would have bloomed because I mowed them (several times) before they finally stopped trying to grow.

Location, Location, Location: Iris want as much sun as they can get, Iris WILL grow in less than sunny locations but will be much happier with much sun and few trees overhead.

Proper Planting Depth: Shallow is the word for them, do NOT bury the rhizomes deeply or the Iris will either not flower or will rot, maybe both. You should be able to see the top of the rhizomes when they are planted.

Dead Heading: When your Iris has finished flowering it is time to remove the spent flower and flower stalk, unless you are hybridizing then it is a bad idea. You do not NEED to cut them back but they look ratty if you do not. I normally cut mine back whenever I get around to it. I've never minded a ratty looking plant, whose to say rats are not cute.

Dividing: When growing Iris there is one chore that you can not get away from, dividing. Once every three years, give or take a decade, you need to dig, split, give away, and replant. It is a simple process. Digging shovel in hand push the sharp end... umm is this getting too technical for you folks? Ok so maybe you already know how to dig shall we move on to split. Grab the plant firmly in your hands and well... rip or snap it apart. Good time to get rid of your life's frustrations. You do not need to be gentle Iris like the rough luv. Now your going to end up with more Iris plants than you need so if you have a friend whose interested in growing Iris thats the perfect person to pawn them off, I mean share the bounty with. Replanting see above and do it again just more of it. Dividing should be done in mid-late summer (June, Julyish)

Cutting back: The leaves should be cut back in the fall and spring, I normally cut the old foliage back when the plant starts making new leaves.

Problems with Iris

Iris Rot:  Caused by too much water, symptoms soft mushy icky rhizomes.  Solution, if just a few rhizomes are rotted cut away and discard otherwise get rid of the whole plant.  Deal with your soil so it drains better or it will continue to happen.

Iris Borers:  Larvae that munch on your Iris.  Remove dead leaf litter from your Iris in as soon as you spot it, cut off affected rhizomes and discard.