What month does iris flower?
Irises flower between spring and summer depending on the variety. Miniature irises such as Iris reticulata flower in spring, between February and March. Iris sibirica flowers July to August and bearded irises flower between May and June. So much for regular bearded irises blooming in the fall, but there are also iris cultivars that naturally rebloom, that is to say, irises that bloom as usual in the spring, then a second time at the end of the season (August, September or October, depending on the local climate).What month do you cut back irises? During fall after a hard frost, which typically occurs in October.Bearded irises should be divided every three to five years, as the plants quickly become overcrowded and don’t bloom well.Early season – Tall Bearded Irises usually open their striking blooms in early May and possibly late April. Early Midseason – Tall Bearded Irises grace the garden from early May to mid-May.
Do irises bloom every year?
Irises often do not bloom every year. It is possible that your dark colored irises neglected to bloom this year, while lighter ones (perhaps left by a previous owner) within the same planting area did bloom. As autumn arrives, water irises need different care. Begin by removing any dead foliage. This helps reduce the risk of disease over the winter months. Consider trimming back the plants to about 15 cm above the water level.What are common mistakes to avoid when cutting back irises? Avoid over-pruning your irises and don’t make the mistake of cutting them back too early in the season. If you cut back too much or too early, you are removing the leaves that provide energy to the iris and the plant may weaken.Damaged leaves can be cut back by half and left on the iris. Deadheading is the second type of pruning that all irises need. The flowers should be cut back all of the way to the ground after they have finished blooming and before the plant can set seed.Once established, irises should be watered when the top three inches of soil dry out. The watering frequency will depend to a great extent on your environment. Over watering of Irises is a common mistake. After planting, water well and continue watering until the first good rain.
Do blue irises like sun or shade?
Choosing a location: Iris spuria needs full sun, at least six hours a day, for the best flowering. Partial shade is tolerated, especially in areas with extremely high summer temperatures. However, both flowering performance and disease resistance may be altered. Irises can grow quite happily in pots on a sunny balcony or patio, and we’ll describe how to do that, too. Choosing a spot: You don’t need half an acre in order to have a beautiful iris garden! Pick a location that gets at least six hours of sun every day and your irises will be happy.Irises should be cut back once they’ve finished flowering,’ suggests Steve Chilton, garden expert at LeisureBench. This is usually around this time of year, so late summer/early autumn or more specifically September-October.Irises don’t like high-nitrogen fertilizers, because they encourage soft growth that is prone to rot. Use a balanced 10-10-10 or low-nitrogen 5-10-10 fertilizer, or a superphosphate. Apply lightly in the early spring and again about a month after blooming is done. Sprinkle it around the rhizome, not on top of it.Iris will thrive in most well-drained garden soils. Planting on a slope or in raised beds helps ensure good drainage. If your soil is heavy, coarse sand or humus may be added to improve drainage. Gypsum is an excellent soil conditioner that can improve most clay soils.In dry-summer climates they’re highly resistant to disease. They’re able to push back and hold their own against aggressive weeds and groundcovers, without ever becoming invasive themselves, since a clump of irises only creeps outward by about 3-4 inches per year.
Do irises like sun or shade?
Irises do well in most regions of North America and are hardy from zones 5 – 9; they bloom best in full sun but can also be planted in partial shade. Irises don’t like high-nitrogen fertilizers, because they encourage soft growth that is prone to rot. Use a balanced 10-10-10 or low-nitrogen 5-10-10 fertilizer, or a superphosphate. Apply lightly in the early spring and again about a month after blooming is done. Sprinkle it around the rhizome, not on top of it.The reblooming bearded iris (Iris germanica) can bloom twice a year, in spring and autumn. The extended ornamental period makes it more popular and brings additional commercial values.Irises with fleshy rhizomes will need a pot with at least a 2-gallon capacity and preferably wider than taller to compensate for a top-heavy plant in full bloom. Place the rhizome slightly proud of the soil just as you would when planting the Iris in the ground and place the pot in full sun.Keep the pot outdoors during the winter. When bloom buds begin to appear in the fans, bring the pot inside and place in a bright sunny window. After bloom, be sure to divide your Iris and replant outside or into more pots.Why is an iris blooming this late in fall? Is it confused? This beautiful white iris is very likely the cultivar “Immortality,” which is in a class termed “rebloomers. These iris cultivars bloom during the normal iris blooming time in June, and they’ll commonly flower again in late summer or fall.