Growing Iris & Daylilies

Growing Daylilies

Planting
Daylilies can be planted all year round, but for the best results, try to avoid the hottest months of summer. Your plants will arrive bare rooted and dry but they will start to re-grow very quickly.

Plant in a sunny spot, they need 4-6 hours of sun per day to flower well. Old Manure and compost can be added to the soil prior to planting. Plant the crown of the plant 3cm deep.

Maintenance
Once Daylilies are established they require very little water during the winter and once or twice a week during the flowering period and the drier months. They enjoy mulching and this will help retain moisture during summer and help keep the weeds down. They should be divided every 4-5 years as they multiply quickly and overcrowding will diminish their flowering.

Types of Daylilies

• EVERGREEN - Retains its foliage throughout the year.
• SEMI-EVERGREEN -The foliage partly dies back during winter.
• DORMANT - The foliage dies off completely during winter.

Growing Bearded Iris

Bearded Iris can be categorised into tall, median and dwarf.

Tall
Are usually over 70 cm tall and flower form early September to late November.
Median
Usually between 40 and 70 cm tall, flowering from Mid September to late November.
Dwarf
Usually below 40cm tall and flower from early September to mid October.

Soil Preparation
Bearded Iris prefer a sunny (full sun is best) position, well drained fertile soil.

Raised garden beds are often used to avoid the possibility of water-logging. Compost or manure can be worked into the soil, but do not put it on after planting as mulch, as the rhizomes need to be kept clear to avoid rhizome rot. They will enjoy a dose of lime.

Planting
Bearded Iris is best planted once they have finished flowering between November and April. They can be moved at any time without loss but the bloom may be affected if planted outside this period. When planting the foliage should be cut back to about 1/3rd of its original height and the roots cut back to about 8cm. This helps them establish themselves and prevents them from being blown over by the wind.

The Rhizome should be planted so that the top of it is just at or just below ground level. Water the plant in well every few days for the first 3-4 weeks. Once established the Bearded Iris will need very little water during the winter months and once or twice a week in the Summer Months.

Maintenance
During winter the outer foliage will die back as new growth develops in the centre, these dead leaves should be removed by pulling them away from the rhizome.

Bearded Iris clumps will need to be divided every 3-5 years. As the rhizomes multiply the clump can get very over crowded and the number and the quality of the blooms will decrease. Once a rhizome has flowered it will never flower again instead it will put its energy into the side shoots which will produce next year’s blooms. If space is a factor, the older rhizomes can be discarded.

Growing Californian Iris

Also known as Pacific Coast Iris, they form small evergreen clumps which send up flower spikes in early to mid spring. They prefer a slightly acidic well drained soil that is heavily mulched; but no animal manures. They like a moist winter and spring and a long dry summer.

They will grow in full sun but probably do better in a semi shaded position. They hate being moved and many losses will occur when transplanted. Replant only young divisions and only when the new white roots are forming in late autumn, early winter.

Plant the rhizome 2.5 cm (1 inch) deep. Care must also be taken to insure that the roots never dry out.

Propagation by division is therefore often a very frustrating procedure. Californian Iris set seed readily and these can be planted in autumn. They will germinate in winter and spring and will flower the following spring. The seedlings may not be true to their parents but an exciting variety of colours and patterns may result. They make excellent pot plants.

Growing Siberian Iris

Siberian Iris are very easy care plants, however they do not like being moved. They probably won’t flower the first season and will look rather spindly. Be patient; you will be well rewarded the second season with a large clump covered in blooms. They have graceful, grassy foliage, which is rich green in colour, erect and slightly arching at the tips. Siberian Iris dies back completely in winter, with the new shoots appearing in early spring.

The flowers appear on spikes above the foliage in late spring. The small thin rhizomes should be planted 3 cm below the soil surface, and prefer a slightly acidic soil. Keep moist but not wet until the new roots have established. When moving them care must be taken to insure that the roots never dry out.

Once established they are quite drought tolerant, but will do best in moist but well drained soil. Mulch is recommended to maintain moisture. They do well in sunny or semi shaded positions and will quickly form into a very attractive clump. Seed pods develop regularly and seeds germinate easily. These may not be true to the parent and "crossbreds" may develop in your crop if the seed are allowed to drop.

Growing Louisiana Iris

Louisiana Iris is sometimes known as water Iris, and are favorites for growing in ponds and sunken gardens. Although they do like wet areas they can be grown quite successfully in normal gardens conditions, as long as water is kept up to them and they are mulched.

They will grow in areas of full sun, part shade or filtered sunlight. They like acidic soil that is rich heavy and fertile. Large quantities of compost or well rotted manure can be incorporated into the soil and a thick layer of mulch added on top. The rhizomes can grow quite large, up to 30 cm long, and should be planted 3-5 cm below ground level.

When replanting Louisiana Iris, it is normal for all the old roots to die off. Care must be taken to keep rhizomes damp but not wet until new roots develop. Over watering at this time can cause rhizome rot. After 3-4 weeks, normal heavy watering can take place.

Slow release fertilizer or animal manure can be added in spring as plants begin to grow rapidly, during this time ample water is the most critical factor. Flowering will take place in late spring.

Please note that our Louisiana Iris have been grown in soil not water, if you are going to grow them in water, gradually submerge them to get them used to it i.e.; plant them in a pot sitting on a brick and gradually lower the pot deeper into the water.

Louisiana Iris is very vigorous growers and multipliers and need repotting yearly to maintain good blooms

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