Last year I has a patch of blue irises that bloomed beautifully, now this year there is only one bloom stalk. The patch has about 10 shoots. The patch has been there for about 6 years. I also have to other patches next to the blue ones, different colour that have never bloomed. They have been there for about 3 years. Can anyone tell what the problem may be?
what kind of iris? bearded iris can take a few years before they start blooming - 3 to 4 years, so maybe next year the other colors will bloom. they will also have less blooms if they become too crowded - you might need to split out the blue ones. if there some other type of iris, i can't help - i only have bearded. don't know much about the other types - except that one likes moistish conditions...maybe your soil is dryer now than previously?
This is the blue iris. It is bearded isn't it? Maybe you're right, the soil could be drier now. They do grow close to a cedar. Now I'll have to move many plants around to find a new place for these guys.
It is my understanding that irises like to have their rhizomes partially exposed above ground level so that they can benefit from the heat of the sun. I would check that they are not too crowded and, if the rhizomes are covered, would scrape some soil away. Margaret
yes, that is a bearded iris. bearded iris don't like to be excessively wet. it's the siberian type, i think, that like boggy conditions...and margaret is correct in that the bearded type like to have part of the rhizome uncovered. if you've had them for 6 years and have never split them out, then that answers for why you have less blooms this year. they're too crowded and it's past time for splitting up! if the ones that haven't bloomed yet are also the same type, you should have blooms next year...when i first planted mine, it was 3 years for some and 4 years for others before they bloomed. i would check that there is a little bit of the rhizome above the surface of the soil, though...and if not, remove a bit of it.
Fertilize the plants with a low nitrogen (bulb or tomatoe) fertilizer. A six year old clump is overdue for being divided up.
Yes, I knew that the rhizome don't like to be covered so I'm careful about that. I will split them up. By splitting them up does that mean they may take another 3-4 years to bloom?
usually, if they've already bloomed, they will continue to do so after you break the rhizome up into pieces. i've had a few of the smaller pieces skip a year after being uprooted/transplanted. only the really small pieces though.
That's a lovely iris. Be sure to share any extras with your gardening friends! The best place on my property for bearded irises is the back lane. That's the only truly full-sun area. Makes for a good-neighbour display.
Unfortunately I don't have full sun on any of my beds, I'm all partial shade. I love having the trees and then there are times where I wish they weren't there blocking the sun from my flowers. Yes, that is one of my favorite irises that I have. As always, with all my perennials I do a lot of sharing, but now I'm running out of neighbors as they have basically what I have now. Might have to hit another neighborhood. Thank you for the information.
