here's a link that may help with your "culture" question:
http://irises.org/About_Irises...

as to the "rhizomes going deeper".....how 'deep" is deep ? I've found that , in my VERY loose, heavily amended soil, there appears to be several factors involved: As the rhizome grows in length, and pushes itself along the ground, the base of the leaves (fans) actually act much like a bulldozer blade, pushing the loose soil into a berm (ridge) around the base of the plant. If I don't either dig, divide, and reset the plant, every 2-3 years, OR remove the "berm" every year.....mine can get "too deep". Another factor, with 'looser soils" seems to be "splashing". In even moderate rains , the loose soil is "slashed" onto the leaves, washes DOWN the leaf, and , of course, piles up there.
But, if "deep" is only an inch, or less.......I don't consider that TOO deep. They will tend to "seek their own level", and, in sandy soils, with good drainage, a one inch covering of soil doesn't seem to bother them.
Another factor , at least in my beds that have been heavily amended with organic soils, is that during the freeze-thaw cycles (and we can have many of those , during "open winters")the soil surrounding the plant, "fluffs up", or "heaves", while the soil IN the clump is actually "held down" by the roots and rhizomes....in effect, the base of the plant is growing in a shallow "bowl"....then, rains wash some of the surrounding "fluffy soil" onto the base of the plant.
Bottom line, if you aren't experiencing any "woes" from the "deep" ones......rot issues or extremely "goose-necked" rhizomes......it's probably a "non-issue".If you ARE having rot issues.....reset the plants a bit more often, and plant on a slight "mound "of soil....it only needs to be a couple inches higher than the surrounding area. That *should*keep the rhizomes from becoming "too deep", at least long enough to reach your next "dig & divide" time.

Louisiana Irises like wet feet. They do grow and bloom in dryer ground but thrive if there is moisture under their bed. I have a friend with an acre of them.... all in sealed beds of soil and water. He keeps his seedlings in pots sitting in kids plastic swimming pools. I think the ones they find in the wild like more wet growing conditions than the ones that have been hybridized for giant blooms.

Japanese iris also like wet feet but don't like to be in frozen standing water. If they are in pots they can be taken out of the water in the winter. If in the ground, keep them in an area without standing water, but water often.

very good info from you all I hope to print it off so when & If I do get into them I will use info for their care thank you for your time to explain .

As for my rhizomes being buried they are Not deep & No disstress blooms are very nice this is i I Just left them alone . however after Blooms I do Notice that the leaves turn very yellow burnt like .

Hi Susie!
I had the same thing ... several of my larger rhizomes like That's All Folks and another white noid seemed to bury itself, but continued to bloom and seemed happy otherwise. Others in the same bed stayed on top. No clue...maybe they're shy?

As some one wrote, Louisiana irises are hardy in zone 5 in Rochester, NY. I've seen pictures of them encased in ice. They were fine the following spring.
LA irises like to have their rhizomes covered or they will sunburn and probably die. Unlike bearded iris, they like to be mulched.
They like water and will grow on the edge of a pond or in the pond. More information can be found at the Society for Louisiana Irises.
http://www.louisianas.org/

"Geisha Eyes"

This iris is growing in the pond.

Actually you should plant the rhizomes under a couple inches of soil. Then mulch heavily on top of that. The mulch is good for keeping them moist.

That is great info ty for sharing . I Lost many irises do to Mulching when i first started out in irises about 6-7 yrs ago someone told me to MULCh I had just bought over 30 irises from Nolas garden & another iris site Had my garden all set for them got them planted put on the Mulch they looked great by the following spring there were maybe 10 or so that came back I removed the mulch ut still did not help out of the 10 or so & over the years I still do not have but a couple 3 Rhizomes of each they do not Multiply what am i doing wrong . ?
My Dwarfs are Multipling Like crazy as do all My other plants its just my TB'd that do not .

Here's a link that might help:
http://irises.org/About_Irises...
compare your conditions to the recommendations and see if there are any differences....if so, that might be the problem. Bottom line, if the sun is right, the soil is right, and the planting depth are right.......you'll have irises !

I tried some here, think I bought 5 or 6 of them. I planted them underground, and mulched them heavily, kept them watered. They came back for a few years, one even bloomed once, but little by little they just died out. I think it just got too cold for them here. Perhaps I need to try some that are proven to be cold hardy.

arlyn ty you for the site I Planted in the same way except I did not bury the rhizome like they showed in the last picture , I left out in the open & I added Mulch around the plant witch I found later i should not have done . I lost so so many .

Black Gamecock is the most hardy LA which I know.

It's also a little restless and likes to wander and spread. It's not invasive, that's a whole different thing. Some of the newer cultivars are more well behaved. If you have the space, go for it.

yes my yellow Flag is all over & My Black Gamecock well I got a Toe of it 2 springs ago & It has 15-20 toes Now I Have one out in my one garden that has been there for over 5 yrs I Say Close to 8 yrs &I Have Never ever seen Not one Bloom & The leaves of it get almost 2-3 Ft tall , its just all leaves I Keep waiting for it to surprise me & show a Bloom but nothing any reason why for this ???

Keep the 'yellow flag' (Iris pseudacorus) away from waterways & cut off any seedpods. Those float.

The yellow flag is extremely invasive and once in our waterways will choke out other plants and cause issues with our native plants. Some states have banned the sale of this plant. Many gardeners grow it but manage to keep it in bounds and like Lucy says are diligent about cutting any seed pods and disposing of them properly.

I am afraid that it has been chocking the local MA. Audubon society waters in some places. We had it, (no water on our property) but pulled it after MA banned the sale. gave the space to I. virginica.

Mine are not in the water Just Out next to the House But i plan to pull it out in spring & Move it way way out Back where Nothing Grows & see if it likes it there .

I will However Keep a small clump in a one garden out front but in check thank you
& if anyone wants any Just ask IN THE SPRING TIME

*Thread revival*

So I'm hoping for a bloom after rescuing these from being swallowed by my massively overgrown English ivy cover.

One thing I noticed in this pot is the rhizome is exposed and beefy. The other thing I noticed is that I can feel it pressing against the side of the pot. Is it divide time now?


Also there's picture of people cutting them into segments. Will that delay a bloom by years since there wouldn't be any foliage initially?
*not my picture*

I heard @lestv say this is the time of year to fertilize them also. What should I use, 6-10-10?