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Well, it's good to know you can bury the dwarf beaded iris...

16 years ago

in a 6-inch layer of shredded leaves and they'll still survive LOL!

I re-arranged part of one of my beds last fall, and I cut off a good portion of the dwarf bearded iris foliage in the process. So when I was doing my annual leaf dump (shredded to boot - courtesy of the neighbor's lawn service), I didn't realize where the iris were and just piled it on.

This morning it hit me out of the blue - oh CR@P I think I killed the iris!! since supposed to just barely bury the rhizomes. So I went outside and raked off the mulch and there they were...

Whew!

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Comments (4)

molie
16 years ago
You must have been so relieved! I once had bearded iris but lost it due to too much water. I was so angry because the plant was a beautiful greyish/blue unnamed hybrid that had been grown ... just for fun... in a nursery center where I worked. So there was only mine and now it's gone. I think the small beared iris are beautiful... what's yours like?

Molie
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
16 years ago
I have a mish-mash of white/purple, yellow, and deeper purple. I bought them many years ago from one of those bulk containers they have out in the fall, so no clue what cultivars they actually are. They sure are prolific, though, whatever they are - I have given away (and thrown away) so many divisions I've lost track LOL! They are such a joy in spring, they never fail to disappoint. I like the dwarf better than the tall bearded, because the foliage stays neater and if it does get a little ratty at the end of the season it's camoflauged by other plants next to it because it's short.
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molie
16 years ago
Okay, you gave me an idea.... I'm looking for "remainders" at the end of the planting season. I agree that the shorter leaves are more appealing. I'm also heartened to hear that you have oodles of them. I'll try again.

Molie
ctopher_mi
16 years ago
Hi,

The dwarf bearded, at least for me, seem to do a little better with the rhizomes completely buried, provided the soil is well drained.

Sure, you wouldn't want to leave 6" of leaves on top of them, but unlike the tall bearded they can be buried some.

I really like the short ones too, and am always expanding my collection of them :)

Chris

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