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Iris don't bloom or bulbs never come up

18 years ago

I have planted many types of iris and they either never bloom(Plant small). Or they never sprout after planting any idea's? I live in Ca Sierra's at 3200' with improved soil.

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Comments (8)

njiris
18 years ago
What kind of iris are you planting? I know bearded iris do very well in Northern California, so there may be something you are doing wrong. Before I (or anyone else for that matter) make any suggestions, you need to tell us what kind of iris you are planting, and perhaps add some information on how you are planting them, when, how deep, etc. Also, for those that never came up, have you investigated to see if there was a dead rhizome in the ground, or are they gone completely?
Laetitia
justuschickens
Original Author
18 years ago
I have tried to grow bearded and a couple of the jap types. I have only bought through nursery's and followed the planting needs and depths. I usually use rotted rabbit manure for most of my bulbs and they do fine. I have looked for the bulbs and they are gone. I don't see any run ways for moles or shrews to which I have elsewhere. Could there be something eating the bulbs that I don't see? It has frustrated me for bulbs are expensive. I have just found this site and need all the help I can get. I am at 3200' am hot and dry during the summer so I must water daily.
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kentstar, you say you planted last Aug. Give them a chance, I'm in the same zone as you and I see no bloomstalks as yet. Also, newly planted iris may not bloom the first year. gypsysunrise, your iris should bloom this spring. Are other iris in your area blooming yet? When you moved them, did you separate the clumps, and plant the new rhizomes? did you fertilize? Iris need about 6 weeks after bloom to make food for next years bloom. If you dig and divide before then, you will sacrifice bloom. As a general rule, iris should not have to be divided more than every 3 years. Years ago, I had an iris named Rococo that took 7 years to bloom. Hard to say why some take so long to bloom. I would have discarded it , but it was a high dollar iris and I just wanted to see it bloom once before it hit the compost.
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I use all my iris because right now they are one of the main flowers I have in bloom. I have all different shades and colors of siberian and bearded. It's nice to know that the siberian can be cut in bud, I usually make sure I cut a stem with one flower almost open and the other in bud. As with all iris's you just have to be willing to snap off the spent bloom as they go. The bearded have more blooms on the stem, so they just keep coming. With the 2 kinds together, and some nice filler, they still make a stunning bouquet. I put tansy foliage, (before the blooms come) solomons seal, or white bleeding heart (dicentra). With me being in a zone 5, I have to depend on perennials this time of the year or I'd have nothing. With the temperatures we've had, they are the only thing right now that is huge, lush and green and in bloom. The annuals are just sitting out in the field saying, "When is it going to warm up?" Cheryl
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Comments (3)
Hmmm - I rather thought all of Lauries questions were relevant: Where did you acquire the Sibs? At a yard sale where they had been in a box dried out for several days? In a plastic package at walmart? (do they do that?) Dug or pulled roughly from a friends garden clump? All could spell disaster. How did you handle them before you planted them? Leaving them out of the ground for too long, or dividing them into too small sections will cause problems. In what sort of soil did you plant them and did you fertilize them? Very relevant. They prefer moist, friable soil, but not too wet. They are NOT "water iris", Too much wet will kill them. What is your soil pH? They prefer a slightly acid soil, but will tolerate some lime. I would think that they would be at there most susceptible right after planting, rather than several years down the track. How much sunlight were they getting? Maybe more relevant as far as bloom, but they won't grow in heavy shade. How deeply did you plant them? It is common belief that you should plant irises like Ducks sitting on the water. If this method was used for siberians they wouldn't last long. If they were planted too deep they probably wouldn't make it either. Did you mulch them? Mulch can shift and smother. How much and how often did you water them? Either too much or too little will cause problems. What were your temps like within a month after planting? here in Australia we plant Siberians in late Autumn. Our summers would do far more damage to new plants than our winters here. Once they are established, a clump will last reasonably well with minimal water through summer, but new divisions would most likely die. Typically plants good sized divisions planted in Autumn will have increased well by Summer, and may even flower here. They certainly should be showing some green by Spring, and if not, can be presumed dead.
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Comments (5)
They might flower, if the bud was low enough not to be taken with the leaves. Not sure if HD or Lowes has the spray - I've had better luck with garden centers or mail-order. Deer-off and Deer-out are two brands - you want rotten egg solids and hot pepper as your basic ingredients. Smells while you are spraying but not when dry. I am going to put up a deer fence this year but that won't keep out squirrels and rabbits. sometimes I drape netting over my bulbs but you have to lift it each day so they won't grow through the netting. After the buds open I just put the netting on at night until flowering is over. It helps to keep your vulnerable bulbs close together and near the house. Lisa
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jain
18 years ago
when you say iris bulbs, are you talking about dutch iris, or do you mean bearded that are rhizomes? one goes underground, one on top, both are favorite gopher food... if you would like a box of iris for postage, send me an email and i have some blue iris i can share with you to try again. they need full sun, water every day for 2-3 weeks, then water them deeply 3 times a week after that until the winter rain and snow comes. for perfect iris instructions on planting, go to schreiners online and look at growing culture. bearded iris like lean soil and you only push the dirt against their sides, never dig or bury, super easy to plant!
justuschickens
Original Author
18 years ago
Great pictures! The information will help. Thanks! I will read it after posting this. I am sort of house bound yet untill I get over the radiation symptoms so I will read up for now. I only have a week more to stay out of the sun and heat. Then I play in my neglected garden.
I sent you an Email with further info. Marica
chervil2
18 years ago
Bearded iris rhizomes should not be grown in rotted manure since this soil is too rich and nutrients and can become waterlogged resulted in rot. Instead plant iris in poor dry soil. Add sand for drainage if necessary. Be careful not to overwater iris as well.

Cheers!

Chervil2
justuschickens
Original Author
18 years ago
My bulbs are planted in the soil with and without manure. I will try adding sand to loosen the soil. I may have packed soil.
Ok a tough question could something be eating the iris bulbs. I have a hot wire around my flowers to keep out deer,rabbits,turkey's,ringtail and the bobcat that follows them. What kind of bugs could it be? I have never sprayed for anything because I don't see anything. I do here criketts at night.
Thanks! all of you for help and the bulbs you are sending me to try again. All the information has been great (posted & emailed).
njiris
18 years ago
Pocket gophers live in North California and can get at your rhizomes under the soil. They do have telltale burrow holes, so you may see these holes but you may not see obvious tunnels and the like.
Squirrels also will eat them if they are hungry enough.
Iris that die from rot (or other causes) leave behind the remains of a dead rhizome.
If you can find nothing where you planted a rhizome, yes, that is a good sign that it was eaten by an animal.
You might want to try a gopher trap.
Laetitia
jain
18 years ago
marcia marcia marcia! first of you must learn that bearded iris are NOT BULBS! call them rhizomes, so you can get the proper help! there are iris bulbs, but they are DUTCH. ok that was your gardening lesson for the day!
i will get your a box of RHIZOMES out this week. nothing eats rhizomes above the ground, we are blessed with subterrian monsters instead... you will see earth piles and you will hear them eating your rhizomes like apples and you will see them get yanked under to china during a free for all gopher buffet! they are relentless in early spring and quiet this time of year, i assume hibernating like a bear after eating 100s of my iris...

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