Your irises will be just fine!

...and there's no need to trim the foliage unless it is dead or badly infected. The plants need their leaves to generate growth and flowers.

Daphne, I agree with the others, you did just fine by your irises . I've only been amending the soil in areas where irises have already been growing for several years. These are areas where I had large clumps of noids that have been dug to make room for new varieties. They have been growing well there for years, but I felt like the soil may be somewhat depleted of nutrients irises like and I wanted to give the newbies a good start. In the areas of virgin soil where new irises are being planted, I'm adding nothing.

Daphne, you have already received great advice so I will only second the above comments. Irises are mostly hardy growers until we over water or feed them. Good drainage and a sunny location is great and if you have fairly good garden soil I can't think why they will not thrive and bloom for years.

I never trim the leaves on my irises. Sometimes the tips brown off when they have a very long dry spell but I use that as an indication of how they are doing and turn on the hoses. I will be looking forward to bloom photos next spring.

The irises you see in photos have been trimmed for shipping purposes--less weight. Not a good idea in the garden because of being used by the plant for growth.

😄 I received a noID from a friend I saw growing in complete shade. He says it's fancy, but hasn't seen it bloom (its sisters had all been moved long ago) It has a wonky rhizome, that I planted horizontally and now the fan lays flat. We shall see how this develops. Possible Iris include Supreme Sultan and That's All Folks among others.

My other one will be Velvet Valentine in a toed-in pot. 💘 Showing growth after ~2 weeks.

thank you you tom for your sage advice on soil testing. any suggestions on which soil testing kit is a good one that's not too complicated or involved? it's just to tell me if i need to add more acid or lime, correct?

what does sulfur do? will that help cut down on rot? my dad used it from time to time in the garden when he was having problems. he would just broadcast a little over an area. (he would also use it as an effective method, mixing it w/crisco and applying it to our dogs that had mange...killing the mites that caused the condition. it didn't seem to harm their health? most of these dogs lived to be about 15 or 16.) (he tried crisco alone, but it didn't work as well). haha maybe mites are not an iris prob?

thank you lilli for your clarification on leaf topping, to lucy who reinforced the need for nutrients back to the rhizome, and to bonnie for moral support and encouragement.

guess i'll be on this crazy iris journey, too.

no one explained the s?

[quote="shizen

i think this is ocelot

[/quote]

I would cut the tag off the Iris too. I keep the tags in a binder for later reference. I have a friend that places the tag next to the planted rhizome. The tags will fade over time if you leave them out in the sun.

Daphne, you can use the acorns to purchase decorative badges to show up near your name, purchase monthly raffle tickets with them, and give them to other users.😃

On the acorns, others know more than I do, but I do know that about once a month there is a raffle of sorts with all kinds of great prizes. The acorns can be used to buy tickets into it! (edit: I forgot about the badges!)

http://garden.org/special/acor...

thank you ic, i will keep a diary with tags, and put out other permanent ones. niki i didn't understand about the badges, but poly sent the link on s, and barb i like the raffle idea. sounds like great fun thank you ladies.

Daphne, there are several different "soil test" kits available.....some are "chemical", and some utilize a digital meter, with probes that you stick into the soil. Here's a link to what Amazon offers, although most nurseries, seed companies, and home stores carry them. I'm sure that some are more...or less...accurate than others, but, for your use, they all should be "close enough".
https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UT...

Liz, I'm super excited that Rick Tasco sent you this. I saw the picture of Sand Dancer and absolutely love the plant. I live in New England, too - zone 6b. So yeah, please post your progress. Thanks for sharing!

Dachsylady86 said:


Sand Dancer - I'm choosing this one because Rick sent this to me as an experiment to see if a 1/2 AB can be successful in New England.

I hope I can make it work! Sand Dancer is stunning and I want so bad to see it bloom. I guess we shall see. I'll definitely keep you updated!

crowrita1 said:Daphne, there are several different "soil test" kits available.....some are "chemical", and some utilize a digital meter, with probes that you stick into the soil. Here's a link to what Amazon offers, although most nurseries, seed companies, and home stores carry them. I'm sure that some are more...or less...accurate than others, but, for your use, they all should be "close enough".
https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UT...

arlyn, i will be doing some research for a soil tester. the probe ones sound cleaner. i remember my dad doin' the chemical one; seemed too involved. (lol my auto correct turned my soil tester, into a "soul tester". had to go back to correct the auto correct.

maybe the auto correct was teying to "tell" me something?

Here we can send a sample to our county extension office and get a very thorough assessment. And if you let them know what you are growing, they will give more specific recommendations for amendments. I'm not sure if that service is available by your, but it's quite reasonable here cost wise.

I think "everyplace" has an extension service.....check by googling , or , it's often listed in the Yellow pages under "government services". When I had mine done, this spring, I believe it was $18 per sample (that was a "private" company that the Extension recommended"), and the ones sent to the university were (I think )$6.50, per.

You are right, Arlyn, every place has an extension service. Some offices have been combined due to lack of use by the public so there may not be one in your county. The fees for soil testing is different all over. It is free in Arkansas as the big farmers are charged for it. If you haul in soil or garden filler for beds and just want them tested then you will only take samples from that area but if you want your general soil tested dig from several locations. As much soil, and as little rocks as possible, in a quart sized baggie zipped up. The Extension office has special boxes for the baggie to fit in and will help you in filling out a sheet so that they will know what to test for. The information should come back to you via the US mail service. Big farming concerns test in the early fall so that they know what to put on their crops before planting in the spring so there is usually a back log of soil samples in the lab in the fall but if you don't mind waiting..... Check with the County Extension Office in your area. They have a world of free information for any gardener and can answer most questions and find answers for ones they do not know. You may go thru a volunteer Master Gardener as that is one way they pay back hours each year for their continuing education. Get to know your agent. They are plant people.

bonnie, arly, and tom. i will contact them as soon as life slows down a bit. we are going on holiday, and are recarpeting, and re doing bathrms and laundry rms. w/ tile. @ the moment i'm packing all belongings to be placed in the garage so that the work can commence.

but that was great advice. shoulda, woulda, coulda, done this before i ordered irises? but jumped in feet first w/out thinking. i'll ask before i leap into something moiris next time! mind you, my first order for iris for this garden was 7/15/16.

i joined the iris forum in late july? it took me days (!) to get up to speed on everyone's SUPER advice, tips, and obtuse comments, but i am having fun and gaining so much more. again tho' i cannot always see what evr'yone is posting daily i will try to check as often as i can.

send me a tmail. if it's important. i do ck. my email regularly😘