What can I do to give my new Iris a firmer hold?

I have 4 weeks to promote the best growth to my new rhizomes. I've been told by one, that it would be good to give them the same growth nutrient as Roses....Miracle Grow to get them off their feet. :o) Spray them with a solution of miracle grow as with Roses... Discontinue it at least a week before frost. I also have some Iris that have a yellowing and I know they need some kind of support. I guess after losing so many last winter I need your advice. One other thing...would it help to put a mesh (as they use for growing grass)over the rhizome when we leave in Oct.? Would it possibly give them a little protection in the Spring if it freezes on them again, as it has for two years? I am a problem case! Ahhh! Thank you!

Sharon

Sharon unfortunately, I can't answer your question! I live in a warmer spot . I've read somewhere that straw is a good mulch for iris, because it doesn't compact as bad. Good luck! pic Burst Of Glory

I've heard using natural materials to make heat sink works as you are creating a microclime for them. Try using small rocks (not pebbles) to surround the individual iris rhizome + about 2" in a circle. Supposedly the rocks store the heat from day and keep the area warmer longer at night.

I've never tried it with an individual iris, but the plants that are near my stone walls and stone foundation walls seem to grow better unless they are named Starship Enterprise or Whole Cloth and neither one of those reproduce well here.

Roni

This message was edited Sep 2, 2009 12:05 PM

The rock method is often used with the small miniature dwarfs to help the micro climate.

I like to put pine boughs loosely over the beds -- works great since I have lots of white pines around. I think that makes a little microclimate as well. Since my beds are raised (I use the 8x8x16 concrete blocks) they are kept warmer, I think, and then they have the pine boughs over them.

Sue - Zone 6a

Sharon, I live in zone 4, Wyoming. I have grown irises for 8 years here, and 20 years in Western Nebraska without any problems.

Here in Wy I have clay soil which I have amended with sand and rotted horse manure (thanks to my daughter's horses). I plant Irises no later than mid-Aug to allow them to get settled before frost. I don't cover them. I plant them a bit deeper than recommended to allow for heaving.

I have been told that extra soil on top of the roots on newly planted irises after frost will protect them over the winter. The harm is done through heaving of the soil, rather than the cold. The only time I have lost roots is once when I divided a clump of irises too late in the season. I think it was September. We had an early winter that year which didn't help.

Miracle-Gro is good except it is too late to feed them. Save it for the spring. You want root growth, not top growth. If you want to stimulate root growth before winter, use Miracle-Gro Quick Start. It is a hormone transplanting solution to encourage fast root growth. I use it on all plants when planting or dividing, including seedlings. Walmart has it as does Home Depot. It comes in liquid form that you mix in a gallon container with water.

Husker I am currently in zone 5 But for a few years my family was stationed in Minot North Dakota....and this is what we did....your soil type would help...but this is what we did.
dip the rhizomes in water and then literally roll them around in Shultz root tone
(or any rooting hormone i like shultz it works for me) in the spot you are going to plant them mix in both blood & bone meal (Combined total of these two about a quarter of a cup) and some ozmocote continuous release plant food (or another slow release plant food angain I prefer ozmocote) and do plant them a bit deeper than what is usually recommended.
then put a thick layer of peatmoss down at least 2" inches but 3 to 4 is better.
then we would lay down newspaper about 8 to 10 sheets thick
on top of this we would but down a layer of bark mulch again at least 2" thick but 3 to 4 is better, but make sure what ever you put down in peat moss has to be repeate with the bark (as in 2" & 2" or 3 &3....you get the idea)..then water the heck out of itso you soak through everything and get down to those bulbs

and yes you can make the moss 2" and the bark mulch 3". We used to do 2" of the peat moss and 4" of the bark mulch

the weight of the now soaked bark flattens out the moss and the newspaper makes a barrier over it to trap in the heat...kinda like when we get chilled and wrap up in our favorite blankie....after this soaking don't water or feed them with anything....only water if you suddenly get a massive heat wave and the soils getting dry but somehow in MN I don't see that happening

by the time this "blankie" breaks down your iris are full acclimated to your weather patterns

Thank you all! You've given me a lot of good advice and I do appreciate you.

We have 4 wks left before we 'retire' to NE for 6 months so hopefully I can get them tucked into bed and not lose the 60+ rhizomes as I have in each of the last two years. Also hoping DH will let me come up in April instead of May.

Gardening over 600 Iris takes time and losing even 1 is sad.
I also believe that even if they get a little 'frostbitten' it's hard to bring it back. Some will but many give up.