Iris - never bloom?

15 years ago

I planted some Iris a couple years ago, and moved them to a different location last Spring. The foliage grew - but no blooms!

Again, this year, foliage is coming up - slowly - but, i'm not so sure they will bloom. I have them planted in a well drained area, on a slight hill.

Any Iris growing advice?

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Comments (5)

sophie12
15 years ago
Are they possibly planted too deep? Iris need to be planted with the top half of the rhizome above the ground level.
Nancy
15 years ago
What type of iris? As sophie said, bearded iris should be planted shallowly. I've also had a very few stubborn iris that refuse to bloom for a while. I bought Batik as a small rhizome, it multiplied nicely but refused to bloom for 4 years! Still, it is a bit early yet. I've had a few blooms from my shorter bearded iris, but taller ones are just starting to put out a bloom stalk. We're both zone 6, but I find zones can vary some too. You may start seeing bloom stalks any day. Of course, if you are talking siberian or other iris, there could be other factors.
kentstar
15 years ago
I'm having the same problem with my SDB's that I planted last August. They were planted exactly to the instructions, shallowly too. I can see half the rhizome on top of the soil, so I know they aren't too deep. They are in full sun most of the day, from about noon till dark, in a raised bed too.
I got the fans, but not one bloom stalk or bloom! What gives?
I got Vavoom and Butterscotch Carpet from Blue J Iris.

kentstar
wally_1936
15 years ago
Most of my bearded Iris didn't bloom last year but am in hopes they will this year. Missed having them down my way so just had to try. I had to divide one as my neighbor fell in love with the bloom, a deep purple and white bloom. I never keep track of the names just love the blooms. We never even expect them to live in this area, but for the love of the flower I just have to keep trying.
Paul
flowergirl70ks
15 years ago
kentstar, you say you planted last Aug. Give them a chance, I'm in the same zone as you and I see no bloomstalks as yet. Also, newly planted iris may not bloom the first year.
gypsysunrise, your iris should bloom this spring. Are other iris in your area blooming yet? When you moved them, did you separate the clumps, and plant the new rhizomes? did you fertilize?
Iris need about 6 weeks after bloom to make food for next years bloom. If you dig and divide before then, you will sacrifice bloom. As a general rule, iris should not have to be divided more than every 3 years.
Years ago, I had an iris named Rococo that took 7 years to bloom. Hard to say why some take so long to bloom. I would have discarded it , but it was a high dollar iris and I just wanted to see it bloom once before it hit the compost.