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BURGARD IRIS FARM
REMOVE FROM BOX IMMEDIATELY!
I am a live plant, not a shriveled up bulb. Please plant your iris as soon as possible. If you need to wait, place them upright in the shade until you are ready.
LOCATION
Bearded iris need at least a half day of sun to bloom properly. A full day of sun is better. If planted in full shade you will have a lovely green plant but not many flowers.
SOIL PREPARATION
Bearded iris do well in most well drained soils. If you have heavy soil, adding humus or coarse sand will improve drainage. I like to add a handful of alfalfa pellets (rabbit food), this turns into natural fertilizer.
PLANTING
Iris should be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are slightly exposed and the roots are spread out facing downwards in the soil. To accomplish this I take a trowel and make a ditch, then I move over about 6-8 inches and make another ditch, in the middle of the two ditches is a little hill. Now I put the rhizome on the hill and the roots on both sides go in the ditches, pack firmly with soil and water well. If your rhizome doesn't have many roots or they are short, not to worry, the new roots will shoot out as soon as you get it planted and watered in. If you need a little help holding it upright you could put a rock or two on or around it. Plant your irises 12 to 18 inches apart.
CULTURE
Newly planted iris need moisture to encourage new growth, keep moist until established, not soggy. Over-watering is a common error and can led to rot. Deep watering at long intervals is better than more frequent shallow watering. Iris do well on slopes and raised beds also.
DIVIDING
In about 3 to 4 years you will have a very lovely clump of irises from the one you planted. In late summer you can dig up the clump and separate the rhizomes. You can carefully break them off or you can cut them off. You will see where there is a natural separation. Keep the healthy plants for replanting and throw away any old soft rhizomes.
I am a live plant, not a shriveled up bulb. Please plant your iris as soon as possible. If you need to wait, place them upright in the shade until you are ready.
LOCATION
Bearded iris need at least a half day of sun to bloom properly. A full day of sun is better. If planted in full shade you will have a lovely green plant but not many flowers.
SOIL PREPARATION
Bearded iris do well in most well drained soils. If you have heavy soil, adding humus or coarse sand will improve drainage. I like to add a handful of alfalfa pellets (rabbit food), this turns into natural fertilizer.
PLANTING
Iris should be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are slightly exposed and the roots are spread out facing downwards in the soil. To accomplish this I take a trowel and make a ditch, then I move over about 6-8 inches and make another ditch, in the middle of the two ditches is a little hill. Now I put the rhizome on the hill and the roots on both sides go in the ditches, pack firmly with soil and water well. If your rhizome doesn't have many roots or they are short, not to worry, the new roots will shoot out as soon as you get it planted and watered in. If you need a little help holding it upright you could put a rock or two on or around it. Plant your irises 12 to 18 inches apart.
CULTURE
Newly planted iris need moisture to encourage new growth, keep moist until established, not soggy. Over-watering is a common error and can led to rot. Deep watering at long intervals is better than more frequent shallow watering. Iris do well on slopes and raised beds also.
DIVIDING
In about 3 to 4 years you will have a very lovely clump of irises from the one you planted. In late summer you can dig up the clump and separate the rhizomes. You can carefully break them off or you can cut them off. You will see where there is a natural separation. Keep the healthy plants for replanting and throw away any old soft rhizomes.