irises - Knowledgebase Question

Shrubs
e. longmeadow, Ma
Question by texx1975
July 1, 2010
i had a group of irises that until this spring never bloomed..I moved them last fall when a fence was installed and in the new spot they thrived and were beautiful..do i need to dig them up every season, and if so, when? thanks!


Image
Answer from NGA
July 1, 2010

0

 Wow! What a pleasant surprise! You don't need to dig them every year but you should plan on digging and dividing every 4-5 years. When irises are overcrowded they compete with one another for moisture and nutrients and that sometimes keeps them from flowering. When you moved them and then replanted them they were given adequate room for growth, plus you dug the soil which loosened it. I'm sure your irises will bloom nicely for you for the next 3-4 years. Cut off the flowering stalk when the flowers are spent to redirect the plant's energy from seed production to storing energy in the rhizomes for next year's growth. Enjoy your irises!

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