Planting Dutch, English And Spanish Irises

By Heather Rhoades


Image by p2cl
You should plan on planting your iris bulbs early in the fall. These small bulbs have a rough tunic on the outside. The bottom is the part that has the flattened basal plate, so obviously the top is the opposite end.

Grouping iris

In groups of five to ten bulbs in a nice flower border, plant Dutch, English and Spanish irises. Each group of bulbs should be planted next to perennials such as peonies. This arrangement helps hide their foliage when it withers away.

Planting Iris

Follow these steps for growing Dutch, English, and Spanish irises:

1. Choose a site that has reasonably fertile soil and plenty of moisture. In other words, you want soil that won’t dry out in summer. Dutch and Spanish irises have a habit of producing leaves in autumn and winter, so they need a sheltered environment. Good drainage will help them survive the winter.
2. You should buy the bulbs early and plant them as soon as you can in deep soil, with about 5 to 7 inches of soil over the top of the bulbs. Dutch irises are an exception to the early-planting advice.
3. Dutch and Spanish irises, are best lifted and stored out of the ground over the summer. This means you need to dig them up and store them in a cool, dry place. Lifting them provides the dry resting and ripening period they need for a great flowering season the following year. Don’t sun-dry them; storing them in a well-ventilated place is perfectly fine.
4. Then, simply replant them in late fall.

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