A8

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

One of the most beautiful of the summer flowering bulbs is the iris, and now there are some many different varieties on the market that the traditional blue and purple flower is just one of many blooms we can enjoy.

Enlarge Photo

Photo Contributed

Iris needs to be divided once clumps get too big.

But in mid-August, after the flowering is completed, it is time to separate huge clumps of iris that may have been in our gardens for years. The standard rule, in fact, is to divide iris every three to five years to keep it blooming at its best.

If you let it get too crowded, the bloom will suffer, and some varieties may crowd others out and disease problems will be aggravated. Remove the old divisions at the centres of the plant.

If you want to add iris to your garden, this is also the best month to be successful. Remember that the roots of the newly planted iris need to be well established before the growing season ends, so you don't want to be putting it into the ground in late September when you might normally plant your other bulbs.

Survey your garden for the best location for your iris. They need at least a half day of sunshine and even more in our climate if you can provide it. They also need good drainage and do best in a raised bed or on a slope.

Add a little coarse sand to lighten your soil and improve drainage. Gypsum is also an excellent soil conditioner that can improve many of the clay soils found in the Metro Moncton area.

The biggest mistake most gardeners make when they are trying to grow iris is to plant them too deeply. They should be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are exposed and the roots are spread out facing downward in the soil. Firm the soil around each rhizome and then water to help settle the soil.

There's a great temptation to plant iris closely so they will look like a healthy clump early on, but it is much wiser to keep them 12 to 24 inches apart so you don't have to thin them out. They will do better in the long run.

Newly planted iris need to be watered regularly to help their root systems get established. After that, remember that the occasional deep watering is much more effective than frequent shallow watering.

Once iris are well established, they don't really need to be watered at all in our climate, unless we had an abnormally dry summer. Over watering them is another mistake many gardeners make. Each fall and spring, look over your iris and remove and burn any dead leaves. Check the health of the plants and thin them if necessary.

If you want the best visual impact from your clump of iris, intersperse blue and yellow varieties together, rather than just sticking with the one traditional blue colour. You might also want to add a few lavender iris for their beauty and sparkle.

There are also numerous dwarf irises on the market that are extraordinarily pretty, such as Dwarf Bearded (I. pumilia) and Arctic Irish (I. setosa). If your yard is small and you feel the traditional tall iris might overpower it, consider this option.

In New Brunswick, we are also lucky because Mother Nature grows her own bearded iris in moist areas along our roadsides and in our country meadows. These are a delight to encounter and add tremendous dimension to fields that are otherwise coloured in pastels yellows and whites.

***

For your diary: Sept. 6 - Seminar at Corn Hill Nursery - Creating fall colour in your garden. If you want more colour in your garden in fall and even winter, the gardening experts will show you an array of perennials, shrubs, vines, conifers and trees to accomplish the task. The session is free and runs from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. There is no charge, but pre-registration is necessary. Call 756-3635.