Fall Care Tips for Bearded Iris

 

Bearded iris has been a favorite of generations of gardeners and for good reason. They’re reliable perennials, blooming late spring into early summer. They’re easy to grow, available in a variety of bloom colors, and typically don’t require a lot of maintenance, but if your iris didn’t bloom this year or there weren’t as many blooms as usual, they’re telling you they need some help.  

Bearded irises thrive when you give them attention in the fall. These seasonal tasks include cleaning up old foliage, pruning, dividing crowded clumps, and adding new varieties to your garden. Doing these things now help set the stage for vibrant spring blooms. 

 

Bearded irises grow from a thick root structure called a rhizome. As the plant matures the rhizome multiplies, resulting in more leaves and flowers.  

If your bearded iris didn’t bloom this this spring, it’s a sure sign they need to be divided. Overcrowded irises will not bloom. When this happens, it’s time to dig them up and divide the rhizomes. The best tool to use to dig iris rhizomes, is a spading fork. Spading forks make it easy to get under and lift the rhizome without causing damage to the roots. 

Once you’ve got the clump of iris out of the ground, you’ll be able to see the rhizomes clearly. You can divide the clump with a knife or by simply breaking off each root with your hand. Trim the leaves in a fan shape down to between 4" and 6". Mark the leaves with the variety of the iris, so you’ll remember which one it is. 

Ready to plant

Iris will do okay in clay soils, but they thrive in soils that have been amended, so add a couple of inches of Sheep, Peat and Compost and dig it in 4-5 inches.  Add some Bone Meal or Dutch Bulb Food and place the rhizome so that the roots are fanned out to the side, then add enough soil to cover the roots, leaving the very top of the rhizome exposed. Water in thoroughly. Your iris will establish through the fall and be ready to bloom next spring.    

 

When you’re replanting, it’s important to remember iris grow in the direction of the heel so place your rhizomes with the leaves planted in the direction you want the plant to grow.    

 

Your iris will establish roots through the fall and early winter and be ready to bloom for you next spring and in some cases, again next fall. 

 

For the rest of the iris in your garden, remove any dead vegetation, cut the foliage back to 4” to 6” long and fertilize with Bone Meal or Dutch Bulb Food, then water thoroughly. This will prepare your iris for the winter season ahead. Avoid using mulch around bearded iris. It’s better to leave the soil open. 

This is also a good time to add new varieties and colors to your garden. We’ve just received our shipments of bearded iris rhizomes, so it’s a great time to add to your collection, while stock is fresh and there’s a good selection of colors.  As you're shopping for bearded iris, you may notice some boxes are labeled "Blooms Spring and Fall". These are "reblooming" iris, that is iris that have been developed to produce blooms in the spring and again in the fall.

The same planting guidelines apply. Pick a good solid rhizome, amend the soil well, add some Bone Meal and make sure you mark the iris, so you’ll remember the name next spring.  

 

With proper care now, your iris will bloom reliably for many springs to come.