Dana Prom Smith
In
early spring when the stunning white of the snowdrifts gives way to patches of
mud and dirty snow, bright, cheery daffodils are amongst the first to bring the
promised beauty of spring. The bearded
irises are next. One of the most complex
and beautiful flowers ever to grace a garden, the word “iris” is a Greek word
meaning “rainbow,” “halo,” or “messenger of the gods.” The plural in Greek is irides from which we get the word iridescent. John of the Apocalypse writes: “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down
from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was
like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire (10:1).”
Irises are both
tough and beautiful. Tough means they’re
hardy, but it doesn’t mean they can be neglected. They need care, such as nutrients and
bedding, and if cared-for well, they will return the care with a nonpareil
beauty. Care begins with bedding. The makings of good bedding are aplenty in
the high country, clay, cinders, and compost.
If
a gardener is clay, add cinders, and if cinders, add clay. Irises like a soft, friable bed. They also like lots of compost. The best bed has good drainage because they
don’t like it soggy. But who does? Irises will tend to rot if swamped out.
With
irises it’s important to start out well because unlike annuals the beds can’t
be enriched with compost each year.
Those rhizomes are going to be stuck in that bed for several years. One of the big items in caring for irises is giving
them a low nitrogen and high phosphate fertilizer (6-10-10) six weeks before
they bloom and right after they bloom and super-phosphate or bone meal
(0-10-10) in the fall. Since irises are
all root, they need phosphorus to promote root development. With too much nitrogen, as in lawn
fertilizer, they will tend to rot.
Irises
do best in a sunny location with at least six hours of sunlight a day. As far as water is concerned, they’re a
xeriscaper’s dream. In the high country,
they need water when they’re planted until the new center leaves appear. During dry spells, they’re best watered every
3 to 4 weeks, and again in the spring before blooming. Also, they’re best mulched before the snows
of winter with the mulch removed after the last hard frost.
The
best time to plant iris rhizomes in the high country is in the early fall,
giving them enough time to get their roots established before the winter freeze
comes. After the soil has been enriched,
make a shallow hole in the soil about twice the size of the rhizome with a
small mound of soil in the center. Put
the rhizome on top while draping the roots down the sides of the mound. In Flagstaff
Irises
can be attractively planted in groups of three throughout a yard, 12” apart,
with the toes pointing inward in a triangle.
If planted in rows, all the toes should point in the same direction to
avoid crowding, spaced 18” apart.
Remember to keep the soil in which the rhizomes are planted moist for
two or three weeks until the first news leaves appear.
After
blooming, the stalks on which the flowers appear are best removed, not to drain
energy from the plant. Every three to
four years, irises should be replanted to prevent overcrowding and to encourage
renewing. This is generally best done a
month or so after blooming. Clumps can
be renewed by removing the old center of the clump or by digging up the entire
clump and removing the old plant and replanting the newer rhizomes with the
fans attached.
Irises
come in many sizes for many tastes. The
tall bearded irises when planted in a circle or triangle appear as though they
were a lush aureole of exotic colors hovering above the garden betraying their
name “rainbow” or “halo.” When studied,
one can even hear the messengers of the gods.
Copyright
© Dana Prom Smith 2014
Dana Prom Smith and Freddi Steele edit Gardening Etcetera for the Arizona
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