Bearded irises have been around for a long time, and now they're in vogue again. They typically bloom in late spring with elegant blossoms that last about two weeks. They grow best in Zones 4-8.
These showy flowers are always a classic in the garden. Irises are beautiful, three-dimensional flowers. In fact, it's all about threes. Inside, there are three style branches, and outside are three beautiful ruffled leaves that cup over the top, called standards. The three droopy petals are called falls. And what about the beard? That's the hairy filament. It acts as a runway for insects trying to find nectar. Each stem produces several flowers that dance above the sword-like foliage. Once the flowers have faded, the foliage stays nice and grayish green, offering great texture to any garden.
There are thousands of bearded iris varieties available today. One of the most sought-after is 'Beverly Sills', which has coral-pink, lacy petals with a light apricot beard. 'Dusky challenger' is also a favorite because of its big, bold, deep-blue-purple bloom--definitely a showstopper. And if you like multicolored bearded irises, check out 'Sierra Grande' or 'Dazzling Gold'. Check with your local nursery or garden center to find out which iris varieties grow best in your area, and then you're ready to start planting.
Irises are fairly easy to grow. They prefer full sunshine and well-drained soils. Don't worry about the condition of the soil; they will grow in poor soil conditions, which is always good. You can buy them two different ways--either in a container or as rhizomes. You can plant container irises any time during the growing season. Just make sure you plant them as deep as they are in the container.
If you buy rhizomes, it's important to keep the roots hydrated until you plant them. The best time to plant them is at the end of the summer. Dig a hole that's fairly deep, and in the center of the hole, create a mound that's level with the soil surface. Take the rhizome, put it on top of the mound and drape the roots over the mound to anchor them in place. Then cover the roots with soil. The rule of thumb is to plant the rhizome so that it's halfway under the soil's surface. However, it can be unstable, and if there's hot sun, it could dehydrate the rhizomes. So mound up the soil around the plant and keep it there so it's nice and sturdy, for about a month. Once the plant has anchored itself, then you can remove the soil, exposing the rhizomes. It's important to keep your irises watered, but don't overdo it, and don't worry about fertilizer--they just don't need it.
One thing that's very important if you want to keep your irises growing healthy is to divide them every three to five years. The best time to do it is about six to eight weeks after they flower. A day or two before you divide them, make sure to water them heavily, which will make it much easier to loosen the soil around the plant with a garden fork. Be careful when you dig in so you won't damage any of the rhizomes. Once the soil is loose, carefully remove the clump and shake off the excess dirt. Then wash off the roots and rhizomes to get rid of the excess soil. Use a sharp knife to cut your clump in half and cut down the leaves, leaving about six inches. Create divisions with at least three to five leaves on each fan.
Before you replant your irises, it's a good idea to rinse the rhizomes in a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water. This will help prevent disease and rot. And another tip: make sure you don't let the roots dry out. Then you're ready to transplant using the same mound technique mentioned earlier.
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