Easy flower gardening. How to grow Dutch Iris.
If you are looking for an easy flower bulb to plant, Dutch Iris is for you. I have purple and yellow throughout my garden and they make such a beautiful spring display.
Here are some tips from EasytoGrowBulbs.com:
- Find a location where the soil drains well. If there are still water puddles 5-6 hours after a hard rain scout out another site. Or amend the soil with the addition of organic material to raise the level 2-3" to improve the drainage. Peat moss, compost, ground bark or decomposed manure all work well and are widely available. Dutch irises perform best in soil that provides good drainage.
- Site your Dutch irises where they will receive full sun.
- Dig holes and plant the irises 4" deep and 3" apart. The bulbs look like small pointed onions. Plant with the pointed end facing upwards.
- After planting, water well, gently soaking the soil to settle it around the bulbs. In warmer climates foliage will form in the autumn, winter will bring taller growth and flowers will develop in the spring. In colder regions foliage and flowers will wait until winter's cold has passed and will develop in the spring.
- When in bloom, feel free to cut iris flowers for spring bouquets. This will not hurt the plants.
- After blooming has finished for the season leave the foliage in place; don't cut it off. The leaves will gather sunlight, create food through photosynthesis and strengthen the bulbs for the future. Water as needed during active growth periods; about 1" of moisture per week is a good estimate.
- During the summer the leaves will yellow and die back as the plant slips into dormancy. Foliage many be removed at this point. Your Dutch irises will rest for a few months before beginning the next growing cycle.
I'll tell you what though, I have planted them too shallow, in semi-shade and in soil without amending and they always bloom. You can even grow them in containers. The one important thing is to let the old plant feed the bulb for next year. To keep the garden neat, just trim them down to about a foot long and once yet cut them to the ground.
Folks will love you to pieces if you hand them a bouquet of iris. They are gorgeous and one of the easiest bulbs ever to grow. I have dug them up into buckets and moved them from house to house. Mine are old early marriage stalk.
In the fall feel free to dig up the bulbs to divide and plant elsewhere. Friends will love you for sharing your bulbs for their gardens. The Dutch Iris plants love to be divided and given more room and will come back beautifully the next year.
I have some of these and they are the most delightful little plants! I love that they are a bit smaller and mine bloom profusely. I highly recommend them for the garden!
ReplyDeleteYour Iris are glorious! I know I would love anyone that brought me some of these lovely flowers! Thanks for sharing yours.
ReplyDeletecan't wait till the iris come up here! :)
ReplyDeleteWell, lol we don't even have daffodils yet but all in good time :)
..wow ... Elaine, you Iris are gorgeous...
ReplyDeleteI would love to have some in my garden.... maybe one day...
Have a good weekend...
Hugs and Blessings..
Barb xx