We asked him to share some tips on growing beautiful iris.
Many thanks Ric.
I guess the main thing is to soak the corms in water for about 1/2 an hour before planting - then place them just slightly under the soil - the tuber should protrude from the soil at the plant end - and can even be slightly exposed the full length of the tuber.
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Full sun is a must as they will die in the shade - I do have some that are
in a spot that is shaded in the afternoon and they bloom later than the others
and also the blooms are smaller - they like good brown dirt - but will grow in
rocky soil as well - just so it's not gravel or sand. I fertilize once a year
with MiracleGro Shake and Feed. If your Iris have stopped blooming - it's
probably because they are crowding themselves out - every few years you need to
tear up the whole lot - and start over - making sure to separate them well.
clip the leaves in an inverted "V" about 2 inches above the corm. Using a 3
prong spade, lift from below and break into sections - even the corms with no
greenery will come back if not rotted. I usually do this every 4 to 5 years .
Till the soil to clean out the weeds and broken roots and space the corms about
8 to 10 inches or more apart. -Ric Silver-
