Non-blooming iris question

bkay2000

14 years ago

The year before my sister died, we acquired a lot of iris. Most came from a guy on the corner of the next street from me (with permission). The owner before him was a prolific gardener. Along the side of her house between the street and sidewalk, she grew tall bearded iris. He mowed them down, repeatedly. Some survived as little tiny iris. I saw them one day and asked the guy if I could have them. He said ok. So my sister and I would go up there and get some each time it rained. She planted hers. I put mine in pots to hold until I got a flower bed dug. Then she died. My iris stayed in pots...for several years.

In the fall of 2010, I planted the survivors in a flower bed. They grew well and looked healthy. They didn't bloom in 2011. As the cemetery iris are blooming now, it won't be long until the tall bearded ones will be blooming. I see no signs of any buds, although my other tall bearded ones don't show signs, either.

When the tall bearded ones should have bloomed, would you give these another year, or pull them up and forget it? (They are in prime gardening space.)

Or, do you have any suggestions to get them to bloom. (I can't use blood meal, as I have dogs.)

bkay

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
if they wont flower.. then it is a CULTURE ISSUE ...

are they in full sun ...??? big flowers.. need big sun ...

are they mature rhizomes.. or still little pieces??

when they went from the pot to the soil .. did you remove all the potting soil ...

give us some observations about the whole ...

i would never give up ...

ken
svanessa
14 years ago
My iris don't start throwing buds until April at the earliest. These may be later blooming so may not show buds until late May. If they are still small rhizomes you might need to give them yet another year. Fertilize them. I wouldn't give up on them but if you do, send them my way!
Sue
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bkay2000
Original Author
14 years ago
They get plenty of sun. I had iris in this bed before, but they died from rot in the year we had el nino. It didn't stop raining all summer. This bed backs up to the compost pile and I have to occasionally add iron to it, as the Sweet Autumn clematis sometimes gets iron chlorosis (sp?). So, nutrition can be a problem in this bed.

I was sure that the rhizomes were large, but some are not. I just checked the ones on the end and they feel pretty small, but I'm just feeling as best I can without digging them up.

My yard guy also added compost on top of the rhizomes when he was here last. I'll have to get him to remove it Tuesday. I don't think that's a factor, though, as he only did it last week.

So once I get the compost off the top of them, I can check to see if they are as small as they seem. What can I do to grow the rhizhomes, if that's a factor? (Wow, the foliage is so large and green, I would not have guessed the rhizomes weren't mature size.)

bkay
iris_gal
14 years ago
BKay ~

So in 2010 you released the beardeds from their pot prison? I have a few still in their round prisons. And yours are now thriving but no bloom? Absolutely normal. They're storing up nutrients for future bloom. It's not at all unusual for some beardeds to take 2-3 years to establish and bloom (even new ones from a grower). And if these are nutrient starved for sure they need time.

Beardeds in cemetaries can't compare. They are old, old cultivars which take neglect. Also every bearded has its own bloom time. Early, mid-season or late.
hosenemesis
14 years ago
I'm only now starting to get some stalks, and I have a lot of early blooming varieties and I'm in warm California. Hang in there, BKay!
Renee
bkay2000
Original Author
14 years ago
I have buds! Now, we'll see what I have. This is going to be a total surprise.

bkay