Re: What do I do?
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: What do I do?
- From: "* I* J* <j*@ix.netcom.com>
- Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 10:35:40 -0700 (MST)
Peggy Hannah wrote:
>
> Good morning everyone. I have a box of iris that I received last fall and
> now I don't really know what to do with them.
-- snip --
Hi Peggy
To start with, trim off most of the roots, especially around the base of the
existing fan (that's where the new roots will form). The only use for any of
the existing roots would be to help hold the rhizome in place in the ground
until new roots form. Really, you could just trim them all off flush with the
rhizome. Trim back the fan to 4-5 inches or shorter, the dried leaves are
useless to the plant now anyway, but you wouldn't want to risk cutting too
close to the growth point.
Once you are past your last frost date, plant them in good organic soil.
10-10-10 fertilizer is about the best. Just before planting, saok them in a
10% clorox solution for about 30 min (for disease control). Rinse, plant.
Leave the backs of the rhizomes barely exposed. You didn't say where you were
from, so if you are from a very hot area (e.g., Texas), you might barely cover
the rhizome. Make sure that the underside of the fan has good contact with
the dirt. Water them in.
Keep them moist for the first few weeks until you see the first new growth in
the fan. Then water when the soil 1-2" deep dries out.
I agree you are unlikely to gat any bloom this year, but surely you will get
some next year.
John | "There be dragons here"
| Annotation used by ancient cartographers
| to indicate the edge of the known world.
John Jones, jijones@ix.netcom.com
Fremont, California, USA, Earth, USDA zone 8/9 (coastal, bay)
Max high 95F/35C, Min Low 28F/-2C average 10 days each
Heavy clay base for my raised beds.
There are currently 46 Iris pictures on my Website. Visit me at:
http://members.home.net/jijones
