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Tips for Growing Irises
PLANTING
Plant your iris as soon as possible after receipt. If you cannot plant them right away, they may be stored for several days as long as they are spread out in a cool, dry place.
Iris need at least a half day of sun; however, iris do best in full sun. The soil must have good drainage. Plant either on a slope or in raised beds. No water should be allowed to stand in iris beds. It is always better to under water than over water. Too much water can induce rot.
Iris are generally planted 12 to 24 inches apart. Close planting gives an immediate effect, but closely planted iris will need to be thinned often. Iris should be planted so that the tops of the rhizomes as exposed and the roots are spread out facing downward in the soil. A common mistake is to plant iris too deeply.
Specific fertilizer recommendations depend on your soil type, but bone meal, superphosphate and 6-10-10 are all effective. A light application in the early spring and a second light application about a month after bloom will reward you with good growth and bloom. Avoid using any fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as fresh manure, because too much nitrogen encourages rot problems. Keep the fertilizer at least 6" from the rhizomes.
Iris need to be thinned or divided before they become overcrowded, generally 3-4 years. If they are allowed to become too crowded, the bloom will suffer.
Tips for Growing Peonies
PEONIES SITE SELECTION AND SOIL PREPARATION
Choose a sunny spot with good ventilation and well-drained soil for your peony.
Loosen the soil sufficiently deep and wide to accommodate a mature peony root (2 feet deep and 3 feet wide).
If your soil is heavy to clay, mix in some potting soil or compost. Mix a handful of 10-20-20 (tulip/daffodil bulb fertilizer) into the bottom of the hole, then put in some soil to prevent the roots from coming in direct contact with the fertilizer. Bone meal and potash may be used in place of commercial fertilizer. The fertilizer used should have a smaller first number than the following numbers. Do not use Miracle-Gro as it is an instant release instead of slow release.
PLANTING
Plant the roots as soon as possible after receiving them in the fall. If you are unable to plant within a day or two of receipt, open the plastic bag enough to let in air. Keep cool. The peony “eyes” are the growing points which become the stems and flowers in the spring. The “eyes” are white, red or pink in color and look like the tip of your little finger. Place the “eyes” pointing upward at the center of your planting site as “eyes” will be at the center of the plant and new roots will fill out the circle around them. Lay the root piece flat on the soil, as that is the way it naturally grows and cover it with soil. The “eyes” will reorient themselves to point to the sun, so if some are pointing down, do not be concerned. You should water according to current moisture conditions. The plant will not be visible above ground until it begins to grow in early spring, therefore you may want to mark the spot where it is planted. | |
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