Have you checked the corms to see if there are borers? Normally they prosper in any soil condition.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

They have nice healthy green foliage, but just don't bloom. I don't think borers are my problem. I've never seen them in any of my iris.
I have a long row of the "old fashioned" white iris, and they are blooming like crazy as they did also last year. Only my hybrids are not blooming. Planted the same way, in the same soil, etc. just won't bloom for me.
Jan

Check the FAQs (link at top of forum page). You'll find many potential explanations for non-bloom there.

laurief...I did check the FAQs and found nothing there that describes my TBI...according to them, I should be having lots of bloom. Just thought some of you might have experienced this and would know what might be causing it or how to remedy the problem. It could be a bit early for them here yet, but I don't know. If they don't show me something this season, out they go. I can always use that bed for daylilies!! :)
Thanks folks,
Jan

You say you are in zone 8? I'm in Western Georgia, on a line East of Montgomery. My white (cemetary iris) have been blooming for over a week, but the named varieties are just starting to put up bloom stalks. They are later than usual. Are you sure yours are getting enough sun? I had some named varieties that didn't bloom past the first year, so I moved them to where they would get more sun and they began to prosper.

Hi Marvine, yep, my white iris have been blooming for a while and have been gorgeous too. But the hybrids aren't showing much sign of blooming yet anyway. I have one that is white with purple edges that is blooming and it's one of the few that bloomed last year too. They get sun all day till midafternoon, then shade. Probably about 6 or 7 hours at the least. Is that not enough for them do you think? If they don't bloom this year, I may try moving them to the area where the white ones are, but if I don't get bloom then, they're out of here!!! :)
Thanks all for your efforts.
Jan

I just believe it has to be a problem relating to the amount of light they get. Move them and see what happens.

Marvine, I forgot to tell you that I live about 20 minutes NE of Montgomery so we're not too far apart. :)
If they don't bloom this year, I'll move them. The row of white ones get full sun almost all day long, so I'll move them to that bed. :)
Thanks for your input.
Jan

I do agree - this sounds like not enough sun. Also, have you been feeding these plants? Try a plant food with a slightly lower first number - for instance, 6-9-9, or something like that, to prevent too much leaf growth at the expense of flowers. Also, irises established for three years should not need extra watering unless you have a severe drought. Are the rizomes half-way in and half-way out of the soil? Irises really like the sun and heat on their rizomes. If the leaves look really strong and green, you should not be having borer problem. With borers, the plants look somewhat sickly. There is no doubt that historic types of irises, the really old ones sometimes found in cemeteries or abandoned lots, etc. seem to have great survival skills. I love to bring these old beauties into my garden. All the best of luck!

Thanks for your suggestions Shapiro...the foliage is very healthy and green. I have not fertilized them this year but they've had plenty of rain, unlike last year during the awful drought we had. I don't water them unless it is terribly dry. How much sun is needed for them to bloom well? As I previously said, they get anywhere from 6 to 7 hours of sun each day. I would think that would be plenty down here in our hot climate. I will move them one last time though, if they do not bloom well this year. I've got some really nice ones, and hate to just toss them. If I can't get them to bloom, I'll give them away. Maybe someone else will have better luck with them. :)
Jan

As I understand it these hybrids had been in another location and bloomed fine there, got moved and bloomed fine the following year in their new location; 2nd year in new location experienced drought and 3rd year are prospering with foliage but not bloom.

Sounds to me like they need to build up 'strength' in their rhizomes. They had that strength after the first move and used it in bloom, lost it during the drought, and are slowly coming back. 7 hours of sun is plenty.

Does this sound like a possibility?

Hybrids are a different kettle of fish than the 'old cemetary iris'. Some (hybrids) are vigorous enough to produce bloom size rhizomes in one year. Others may take longer. Many experienced iris growers have reported cultivars (hybrids) taking even 4 years to put up their first stalk. If the soil is good, patience. Let the foliage turn yellow to feed the rhizome for next year's bloom. And they will need watering during drought to perform.

Sounds like you are getting enough sun. They don't always bloom the first year after they are planted. Be sure and check that they are not planted too deep. This is a must. They like their rhyzomes at the top of the ground to bask in the sun, with the roots underground. I hardly ever feed mine and they do great. I think the older white irises you may have bloom before the hybrids. I have earlies blooming now with many on the way.

Dot in Texas

I agree about the importance of not planting too deep. Also, we just don't have a borer problem in this part of the country. I didn't water at all during our drought last year and my iris are putting up lots of bloom stalks now. There is a wonderful fertilizer called "Garden Special" (5-10-15) that contains micronutrients. My iris thrive on it. You can get it at GROSouth, 255 Dexter Ave., in Montgomery.

tweetypye,
I am decidedly not an expert, but I have noticed in my area that the white irises have been blooming for weeks, and the purples are just starting to show. I have not seen any of the others yet, so perhaps it is too early? I am not looking for mine to bloom this year, as I have just got them in the last several months. I am northwest of you a little over an hour.

Hey Jan, fancy meeting you on this forum lol.

I know very little about Irises really. I wandered over here 'cause I was having a different problem with one Iris. However, just so you know most of mine are only now starting to send up stalks, including the old fashioned cemetery type Iris. A couple of my dependable hybrid TBIs haven't sent any up yet either but I'm thinking they just need some more time. I know you're further South of me and by rights yours should be ahead of mine but the weather has been wacky this past year so maybe that's affected their schedule. I'm also inclined to think it's stress and weather related rather than a sunlight issue. Most of my hybrids bloom great with the same or even less direct sun than yours get.

Now that I finally have some nice Iris buds forming and everything looks so good with all the rain we've gotten I can't bear the thought of our impending late freeze this week destroying them like it did last year. I plan on taking some drastic measures this time to protect as much as possible. I hope you're far enough South of here that you don't have to worry about it.

Danielle

Hi,
I'm in Zone 8, and my irises are usually just sending up stalks about now. The last ten days of April through the first ten days in May is my peak bloom here in coastal SC, so don't despair.

Not sure what town you're in, but my mother is in Sylacauga, AL. She's been the recipient of a lot of my *extras* over the year, and so with about sixty plants, we finally decided to create for her a really nice raised bed with genuinely good soil in it so that she could see some good bloom, finally (after years of seeing virtually none). She has told me that there are no buds on any of her plants yet. I feel very confident, though, that they are coming!

I will tell you that I sent my mother some of Cooley's spring formula fertilizer to encourage bloom. I use this in the spring before bud stage.

Mike, SC, Zone 8

Hi Danielle....yep, we do get around don't we? LOL I'm still not seeing any sign of bloom stalks on any of my TBI's except the white with purple edged ones. I hope you can keep your's safe during this unexpected cold weather. I'm praying the temp doesn't go below freezing here.

Mike...thanks for your input. I live about 40 miles south of Sylacauga. Small world, isn't it? I hope your Mom gets some nice bloom on her TBI, but I really don't think I'm going to get any more than the one I've already gotten. Could be they've gotten buried too deeply over the past couple of years, so I will attempt to uncover their rhizomes as soon as this cold weather gets out of here.
Jan