Irises have long been a favorite flower for landscaping around homes. This perennial will grow easily and consistently and prosper every year. Iris plants provide their producers with a wide variety of shapes, colors, and growth habits to select from since they vary widely across species. While most of these resilient plants need little maintenance, gardeners must understand more about the requirements of each kind. Namely, the best time to plant them. So, when should iris bulbs be planted?
Can Iris Bulbs Be Planted in the Spring?
The kind will greatly impact when the optimal time is to plant iris bulbs. Iris species number over 100, and each has somewhat different garden requirements. Dutch iris bulbs, for instance, should be planted at a different time than other varieties. Planting their rhizomes, roots, or bulbs allows you to cultivate most of these blooms. Most irises are planted in the garden in the middle of the summer or autumn, while some may be planted in the spring.
The vast majority of iris bulbs will gain from planting in the autumn. Most iris species that bloom in early spring or summer should be planted in the autumn. Now is the greatest season to grow Dutch iris, both tall and dwarf. Yet, as soon as the soil can be worked, several gardeners have succeeded with extremely early spring plantings. Although having a rather restricted color palette, the Dutch iris is a common species in cut flower gardens and early spring mixed borders. This method may also be used to grow Siberian iris, another popular choice.
When Should You Plant Bearded Iris Bulbs?
Wide-bearded iris varieties provide flower bed producers with a stunning variety. While the blooming season for various cultivars might vary, the planting method is often the same from spring to late summer. When contemplating bigger species like bearded iris, the timing of your plantings will be crucial to their success in your garden. According to best practices, the best time to plant bearded iris is between mid-summer and early autumn.
The iris should ideally be able to focus on developing a strong root system before the onset of winter by being planted now. The bearded iris rhizomes planted in the early spring may bloom too early in the first summer. In the end, a weaker plant is produced due to the iris blooming considerably earlier than with late planting. Iris plants that have been properly established can provide gardeners with stunning iris flowers for many seasons.
Dividing Irises
Bearded iris plants may need to be split if overloaded after a few seasons. Gardeners need to wait for the plant to naturally die down once it has done flowering before doing this. The plant may now be separated and dug up. Iris divisions should be replanted in the late summer or autumn to give fresh divisions time to develop before winter. Iris division should never occur in the spring or during active growth for the greatest outcomes.