I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley
near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in November of
2005 and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4 plants
produced flowers.
Following Scotts bulb plant food directions, I recently fed these in
spring. Any idea what I can do to produce any flowers this spring or
insure I get more flowers next spring? Can IRIS still produce flowers
this season?


Thanks, dave_s

Dave_s wrote:

> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley
> near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in November of
> 2005 and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4 plants
> produced flowers.
> Following Scotts bulb plant food directions, I recently fed these in
> spring. Any idea what I can do to produce any flowers this spring or
> insure I get more flowers next spring? Can IRIS still produce flowers
> this season?
>
>
> Thanks, dave_s

Dave,

That might be normal. Quite often Irises take a couple of seasons to
"catch up" to where they will bloom like they were in the old location.
Another thing that might cause them not to bloom is if they were
planted too deep.

I don't think that you can get them to produce flowers this year but you
should get more flowers next year. Keep feeding them and don't cut the
foliage back.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening Since 1969

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

when you divide them, they don't produce the next year. That is why you
have to divide about 1/3 per year, so you have a constant 2/3 bloom.

What part of the SFV? If your down in the flatlands and where it doesn't get
cold during the winter, your lucky to get any at all. Iris like to have a
cold time of year, I've north of you in the High Desert of the AV and I've
got 300+ Iris and they are just about done blooming after waking up from a
good cold winter.

Something like L.A. Iris or other breadless iris group members would do
better.



--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

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"Dave_s" <group78 [at] dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:126p1g4fhn8rv68 [at] corp.supernews.com...
>I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley
>near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in November of 2005
>and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4 plants produced
>flowers.
> Following Scotts bulb plant food directions, I recently fed these in
> spring. Any idea what I can do to produce any flowers this spring or
> insure I get more flowers next spring? Can IRIS still produce flowers this
> season?
>
>
> Thanks, dave_s

Dave_s wrote:
> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley
> near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in November of
> 2005 and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4 plants
> produced flowers.
> Following Scotts bulb plant food directions, I recently fed these in
> spring. Any idea what I can do to produce any flowers this spring or
> insure I get more flowers next spring? Can IRIS still produce flowers
> this season?
>
>
> Thanks, dave_s

When you plant them, the rhizome should be horizontal (which might mean
the fan of leaves is tilted). They should be planted very shallow; the
top of the rhizome might even be exposed.

To promote flowering, you should dig bone meal or superphosphate into
the planting hole. To prevent burning the already injured roots, you
should then add plain soil (no fertilizer) before setting the rhizomes
in order to keep the fertilizer from direct contact.

Be careful to avoid over feeding. Iris are not heavy feeders. Too much
nitrogen can cause the plant to rot.

I'm about 5-15 miles west of you, depending on where in the Valley you
are. My iris are blooming right now.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at <http://www.rossde.com/garden/>

Dave-
We've had very unusual weather here in California this year. There is
an Iris farm here in Sacramento that is always delightful to visit this
time of year. They didn't even bother to open for the season.

Also, Daffodil Hill which is in Amador County has been a Mother Lode
attraction for decades, and it has decided to not open!

Here in Sacramento, we had double the rain of normal, and it came
extremely late. All of our plants and shrubs have seemed "confused."

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Myrl Jeffcoat Dave-
We've had very unusual weather here in California this year. There is
an Iris farm here in Sacramento that is always delightful to visit
this
time of year. They didn't even bother to open for the season.

Also, Daffodil Hill which is in Amador County has been a Mother Lode
attraction for decades, and it has decided to not open!

Here in Sacramento, we had double the rain of normal, and it came
extremely late. All of our plants and shrubs have seemed "confused."

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com


when u plant your iris the rhizomes must be above the ground
in order to promote blooming. if they are planted below ground
u can end up with no blooms or a few blooms but they arent
as nice as they could be. they wont bloom this year as it
sounds like u did a heavy division on your iris bed. good luck.
cyaaa, sockiescat.


--
sockiescat

David E. Ross wrote:
> Dave_s wrote:
>

>> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando
>> Valley near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in
>> November of 2005 and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4
>> plants produced flowers.
>
>
> When you plant them, the rhizome should be horizontal (which might mean
> the fan of leaves is tilted). They should be planted very shallow; the
> top of the rhizome might even be exposed.
>
> To promote flowering, you should dig bone meal or superphosphate into
> the planting hole. To prevent burning the already injured roots, you
> should then add plain soil (no fertilizer) before setting the rhizomes
> in order to keep the fertilizer from direct contact.
>
> Be careful to avoid over feeding. Iris are not heavy feeders. Too much
> nitrogen can cause the plant to rot.
>
> I'm about 5-15 miles west of you, depending on where in the Valley you
> are. My iris are blooming right now.
Many thanks to everyone who replied. The MANY comments and info were
very helpful!!

I live in Panorama City, zip 91402, next to Van Nuys in the San
Fernando Valley. We had a pretty cold winter. So I suspect some IRIS
were planted too deep and possibly overfed.

Ok, will not expect any more plants to bloom this spring.

When should I cut off the spikes with dead flowers or leaves those
stems intact?

What month of year is best to dig up those IRIS that might be planted a
little too deep? I shall feed less and add bonemeal when replanting and
will not cut back leaves to fan shape. Will never divide and replant all
14 at same time again.
Good info from all of you folks! Regards, Dave_s

As soon as the last flower has closed, you can cut off the stalk, BUT do NOT
cut back the fans themselves, as they are FEEDING the rhizomes along with
the roots, and that is for next years flowers and increses.

Only in the dead of winter up here in the desert, when most of the fans are
frost bit, do I cut any of them back, but mostly I just wait and as it gets
near spring I just clean away the dead fans.



--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

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http://home.inreach.com/starlord
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"Dave_s" <group78 [at] dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:1270v88ki58iba5 [at] corp.supernews.com...
> David E. Ross wrote:
>> Dave_s wrote:
>>
>
>>> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley
>>> near Los Angeles Calif. I divided and replanted these in November of
>>> 2005 and have been watering and feeding all winter. Only 4 plants
>>> produced flowers.
>>
>>
>> When you plant them, the rhizome should be horizontal (which might mean
>> the fan of leaves is tilted). They should be planted very shallow; the
>> top of the rhizome might even be exposed.
>>
>> To promote flowering, you should dig bone meal or superphosphate into the
>> planting hole. To prevent burning the already injured roots, you should
>> then add plain soil (no fertilizer) before setting the rhizomes in order
>> to keep the fertilizer from direct contact.
>>
>> Be careful to avoid over feeding. Iris are not heavy feeders. Too much
>> nitrogen can cause the plant to rot.
>>
>> I'm about 5-15 miles west of you, depending on where in the Valley you
>> are. My iris are blooming right now.
> Many thanks to everyone who replied. The MANY comments and info were very
> helpful!!
>
> I live in Panorama City, zip 91402, next to Van Nuys in the San Fernando
> Valley. We had a pretty cold winter. So I suspect some IRIS were planted
> too deep and possibly overfed.
>
> Ok, will not expect any more plants to bloom this spring.
>
> When should I cut off the spikes with dead flowers or leaves those stems
> intact?
>
> What month of year is best to dig up those IRIS that might be planted a
> little too deep? I shall feed less and add bonemeal when replanting and
> will not cut back leaves to fan shape. Will never divide and replant all
> 14 at same time again.
> Good info from all of you folks! Regards, Dave_s
>

Dave_s wrote:
> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley,
> Van Nuys, Calif.

10 of 14 plants did not bloom this year.
When is the best time to dig up 3 or 4
of those that might be planted too deep?
Replant now or August or when. Many thanks, Dave_s

As they have not bloomed you can do them now, the ones that did bloom can be
moved now too, into a good bed with some space between them.

I clear my soil down to the hardpan and then put down leaves, hay, steer
manure, I then build beds up so they are anywhere from 3 to 6 inch deep and
plant the iris ontop of the soil and set up a sprikler for watering.


--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
Astronomy Net Online Gift Shop
http://www.cafepress.com/astronomy_net
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http://www.cafepress.com/ingarden
Blast Off Online Gift Shop
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Astro Blog
http://starlord.bloggerteam.com/




"Dave_s" <group78 [at] dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:1276jjef2mprr1b [at] corp.supernews.com...
> Dave_s wrote:
>> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando Valley,
>> Van Nuys, Calif.
>
> 10 of 14 plants did not bloom this year.
> When is the best time to dig up 3 or 4
> of those that might be planted too deep?
> Replant now or August or when. Many thanks, Dave_s

Dave_s wrote:
> Dave_s wrote:
>> I have about 14 IRIS in my full sun center garden in San Fernando
>> Valley, Van Nuys, Calif.
>
> 10 of 14 plants did not bloom this year.
> When is the best time to dig up 3 or 4
> of those that might be planted too deep?
> Replant now or August or when. Many thanks, Dave_s

Call Green Thumb in Canoga Park on Sherman Way. Ask them when they will
be having bearded iris for sale as bare-root. That defines the planting
season in our region.

Dig about a week after the start of the planting season. Replant
immediately.

--

David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

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