A Sunny Bed For Irises

Q: We brought iris bulbs from our family home in Michigan to plant in our Georgia flower beds. They are presently in our garage. How, and when, should we plant them here?  

A: Unlike in Michigan, in Georgia the soil rarely — if ever — freezes so hard that you can’t plant. That said, the soil is a little chilly to suit irises now. When it warms up this spring, prepare a sunny bed by thoroughly spading the soil to a depth of eight inches. If it’s our typical clay soil, you can add compost to improve drainage. Remove three inches of soil from the bed. Now you have five inches of loose soil onto which you can lay the iris roots.  

Examine each of the roots that you brought. If any are rotten, soft, or appear unhealthy, do not plant them. Use a paring knife to cut out the unhealthy parts. You may see vestigial roots or hard stem bumps that tell how to orient the roots. Place the roots about 10 inches apart and cover with the soil you previously removed.  

Over the bed sprinkle slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote, Holly-tone, etc.) according to label directions. If the irises were growing strongly in Michigan, they should burst forth with color this spring. If not, they may take two years to have good flowering. Observe the flowers closely. If you see a tiny, typically yellow, “beard” coming from the center of the flower, you have a bearded iris, the most common classification of this beautiful flower.