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kimcoco

Iris bulbs

18 years ago

I just purchased some iris bulbs from Steins. This bulb thing is new to me - first year (with the exception of the three that I planted upside down earlier this year - didn't know any better as to how or when to plant them).

I now know not to plant them until weather cools...do I store them in the refrigerator for the interim?

Comments (8)

  • 18 years ago

    Keep them in the garage until planting.

  • 18 years ago

    I just purchased some iris bulbs from Steins.
    Do you know what type of irises they are?

    If they are bearded irises, they are actually rhizomes, and can and would be best planted now.

    Beardless irises should also be planted now, and not be allowed to dry out.

    English, Dutch, Spanish, and reticulatas are all grown from bulbs and could either be planted now or later in the fall.

    Sue

  • 18 years ago

    bearded iris...royal touch...height 34", planting time Sept - Oct per the package

  • 18 years ago

    bearded iris...royal touch...height 34", planting time Sept - Oct per the package

    Ok, for starters, what you have are iris rhizomes, and not iris bulbs. Those can and should be planted anytime now, without much delay. They are to be planted quite shallow, with the top of the rhizome at or near the top of the soil. I plant mine with the top of the rhizome slightly above the soil a bit and it looks like a turtles back protruding. The sooner they are planted, the more time they will have to get established before freezing temps arrive. If not established well enough, they will heave out of the ground with the many winter freezes and thaws.

    Lots of sun, good drainage, and proper planting depth are most important in assuring your iris will live, grow, thrive and bloom for you.

    You might want to check out this FAQ at the Iris Forum.
    How do I dig, divide, and transplant bearded irises?

    Royal Touch is a real beauty. It may start you on the road to being a real iris lover, and even a collector. I soon became addicted to them.

    Iris Forum Gallery

    Sue.....enabling here a bit

  • 18 years ago

    I don't know that I have any room in my garden for any more addictions, Sue...LOL. I have 23 clematis, and this is only my first year!

    Royal Beauty is a stunner...I also like "Superstition", the bold colors in my yard will look fabulous.

    I've had a few iris over the past few years, kept moving them around because I didn't really know what to do with them or how to place them, so most the time they didn't bloom...then I came across a pic of some grouped Iris surrounded by lemonbalm - it was LOVELY!

    I divided up what I had this year - mostly a pastel blue, went out and purchased a few more, some black, red, and this one caught my eye when I was walking through Steins - I grabbed it last minute.

    I spent the entire spring/summer landscaping my back yard...I can hardly wait for next year when everything starts to mature and bloom...

  • 18 years ago

    I don't know that I have any room in my garden for any more addictions,
    Hey, when you get an addiction, you find room. I read all the time here about members who grow stuff at their neighbor's houses, or relative's houses. Do you have a neighbor or two that you can expand to maybe?

    .I can hardly wait for next year when everything starts to mature and bloom...
    So did you plant plenty of Daffodils?

    Sue...now being a daff enabler

  • 18 years ago

    LOL, Sue you are so funny!

    I WANTED bulbs around a newly planted japanese maple, but everyone warned me about nicking the roots of the tree, so I opted not to. I just can't figure out where to plant them - but I'd LOVE to have daff's and muscari blue magic(??).

    I DID order tulip bulbs as I have the perfect spot for them along my driveway where the soil stays on the dry side.

    I viewed that link about dividing iris...I'm such a gardening moron...when I divided mine this year I handed some over to my neighbors thinking I don't have enough room for them, well, I believe I kept most of the mother rhizomes and handed out the rest...ugh!

    So, I'll be admiring the blooms in my neighbors yard next spring. Go figure! At least I'll have my Royal Touch...and maybe a few reds and a black.

    I yanked out my tomatoes already just to make more room for the clematis. I think I got one ripe tomato and said forget it. Next year I'll grow them in pots.

    I can honestly say that I haven't grown anything at anyone's house (yet?), but my MIL takes all her plants over to grandmas for the winter - her house is nice and toasty (you'd be comfortable with wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the winter months), and she has a huge sunny bay window.

  • 18 years ago

    I have grown bearded iris for years, and while I knew that the mother iris would die out after a while, I didn't know that it would not bloom again. I can't imagine how I missed learning that since I try to read up on all my current collections :) Bearded iris are odd in that they are best moved in the heat of summer, the rhizomes let dry a bit & replanted. Our local iris society always has their iris sale in late July/early Aug. I rarely get mine divided at that time though, just too hot for me. I'm sure I don't get as much bloom as I could after dividing, but I just CAN'T do it.

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