BEARDED BEAUTY

"This has been such an unusual spring."  I'm sure newcomers are tired of hearing it or maybe even believing it.  Seasoned local gardeners are tired of saying it.  But it is true.  Wild flowers and weeds are being discovered in never before seen areas with weeds being twice their normal growth.

Although we grumbled over the recent rainy days they certainly did benefit the stands of bearded iris I've seen around town.  Their taller than usual height and magnificent blooms perhaps started with the melting of the February-March snowstorm providing much needed moisture to enable the rhizomes to rehydrate.

The blooms are on the waning side so now what do we do.  In my landscape I need to move at least 6 rhizomes taking more care when I transplant.

Iris may be a welcomed low maintenance addition to your landscape but speaking from experience my sheer neglect borders on being a chargeable plant crime.  I pay homage to those beautiful iris stands I have passed on my  trips here and there and suffer pangs of guilt for being neglectful.
My advice at this point is if you are going to accept  iris from friends or neighbors do some research and get started properly.

Today we'll just review the after care as listed on a fact sheet from Oregon's iris grower, Schreiner's Iris Gardens in Salem.

Schreiner's recommends a light application of 6-10-10 or 5-10-10 fertilizer about a month after bloom o promote future good growth and bloom.  Do not use a high nitrogen (first number) fertilizer as nitrogen encourages rot problems.  Keep the fertilizer several inches away from the rhizomes.

Additional advice is to keep the iris beds clean and free of weeds allowing the tops of the rhizomes to "bask in the sun".  Bloom stems should be cut off close to the ground after blooming.

 Healthy green leaves should be left undisturbed, but diseased or brown leaves should be removed.  In central Oregon it is not recommended to cut back the leaves in the fall.  It is recommended that newly planted iris are covered for winter protection in the fall.  Soil, straw, pine needles, and leaves are effective cover and should be removed as early as possible in the spring.

In a nutshell, for iris to bloom consistently, they need full sun, good drainage, lots of space and quality soil.  To improve your chances of bloom, add fertilizer and divide large clumps.  Only 60-75% of iris bloom the first year after planting, sometimes they just need an extra year to settle in.

Depending on the weather, iris can bloom beginning in early May.  Bloom period usually is 3-4 weeks.

Check out The Gardening Get Good At It: Organic Weed & Insect Control segment Tues June 11 on KPOV 88.9FM "The Point" between 9-9:30 am.