Growing Siberian Irises

I'm going to plant 2 Siberian Iris this coming year - both Pink - "Pink Haze" and "Dance Ballerina Dance". Since I've never grown (or seen) a Siberian Iris, this will be a new Venture for me. So I'm curious about growing them. For those that have more experience with Siberians,
how long does it take them to develop into a nice sized clump? Do they bloom the first year following planting? Or do they take 2 or more
years to develop and grow? Would love to hear from anyone who has experience growing Siberian Iris. Thanks.

Depending on the size of the plant you receive and the time off the year you plant it, the amount of fertilizer it received the year prior to your receiving it I can safely say that by your third year (if you CARE for the plants) you should have a nice size clump and a good number of blooms. If you start off with a good size plant, don't divide it right away, and it will give you more increases.
I speak from experience in growing 45-50 different varieties in zone 5. I like the culture sheets that are available from Ensata Gardens in Michigan and Sharon Whitney from Earthheart in Maine. They are free downloads. Well worth reading. Siberians do require mulching in my area as we have freezes and thaws which can heave them out of the ground.

Well, most vendors only ship Siberians in the Fall, so that's when they will be planted - the 2 Siberians I want will be purchased from Ensata Gardens, and they MAY offer shipment in the Spring also, I will check their website on that.
I've never purchased rhizomes from them so I don't know how large a plant they ship. So Mittsy, are you saying that
the plant will not bloom Year One or Year Two . . . . . and will only begin to bloom in Year Three ???

Your zone is quite a bit warmer than mine, my dormancy period is longer than yours, so I can't predict for 7a. I doubt you will get any bloom the first year, some the second and a good display the third. You can probably divide the fifth year.

So what is considered the First year ? The year you plant them, or the year FOLLOWING the year you plant them ?
I doubt a newly planted rhizome would bloom the same year you plant the rhizome, so I guess you won't get any
blooms before the 2nd Year. Bummer !

The spring after planting can show the first flowers.

Well, that's good ...... I should then have Siberian iris flowers in the Spring!

Siberian irises seem to hold to the old saying about perennials- "the first year they sleep, the 2nd year they creep, the 3rd year they leap". I have a few that sulk for a year after I divide them, however others rebound quickly. They do seem to vary considerably from one variety to the next as to how quickly they form clumps. Once established, they're very rewarding and low maintenance.

Responding by variety seems true of any iris. Some of our Siberians need dividing, but since our main planting are bearded, we give less attention to the beardless. That is just because of time available. Siberians don't really seem to mind our lack of time. We do cut the foliage back in the fall. See you on ATB under a different name. ☺

I am no longer on ATP - I was "removed" and not able to access that site any longer.
I am on Cubits and Dave's Garden. I am adding Siberians to my garden this year, to join the other 2 Siberians I have already planted. This year will be busy, as I also have to replace 2 Rhododendron that died and had to be discarded, so I will have a lot of planting to do in the Spring.