These Gardening Tips Will Help Ensure Bearded Irises Stay Healthy For Years

Although irises are hardy plants, a little care can help keep the plants looking their best year after year.

Consider removing faded flower heads every day or two during flowering. This keeps the plants clean and prevents them from wasting energy producing seeds.

Also note the following tips.

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When you see a few flowers and a few leaves in the center, you'll know it's time to divide the plant. The time of division is one to two months after flowering, usually in July or August.

The plant is currently dormant; They have time until winter to form new healthy roots. splitting piles by digging; Insert the shovel around the plant and lift it up. Using a sharp knife, cut the small and large rhizomes into sections, leaving as many roots and shoots as possible in each section. Cut back the leaves to a third of their height for easier repotting. Remove the early rhizome center and soft-looking parts. Transplant as quickly as possible so that new parts do not dry out.

Planting depth is very important; If you plant too deep, you will only get leaves and no flowers. Plant the rhizomes below the surface of the soil, with the roots down and the leaves upright, facing the sun. Young plants need to be watered weekly until they develop a new root system.

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The iris digger is a big problem; They are tiny moth larvae. In the spring, the larvae hatch, eat holes in the leaves and settle in the rhizomes. Unfortunately, you don't see the damage until it's over. Look for brown spots on the leaves or if the fans start to fall.

Dig up the rhizomes and cut off the soft and tender parts. Insecticides are available, but to be effective they must be applied in early spring, when the fans are 10 to 15 cm long and the larvae are first hatching.

For more information on growing irises, visit the American Iris Society at irises.org. With a little care you will have plenty of irises for many years to come.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County answers home and garden inquiries by emailing homeandgarden@cornell.edu or by calling 315-736-3394 at 1 and extension. 333. Leave your question, name and phone number. Questions will be answered on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also visit our website at http://cceoneida.com/ or call 315-736-3394, press 1 and ext. 100

This article originally appeared in The Observer-Dispatch: These gardening tips will keep irises healthy for years to come.

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