Potting iris?

When I pot iris and they start growing, do I cut them back? I can't plant them out side for another two months!
Thanks Bonnie

No, don't cut them back. Just let 'em grow. It's very unlikely you'll get bloom this spring, but your potted irises will have a HUGE leg up in the root dept. when you plant them out.

I potted and overwintered a bunch of irises in my basement under lights last winter, and they all did beautifully (hearty crop of aphids aside). None of them bloomed last spring, but they all increased like crazy in their pots..

Do be careful not to overwater them in the pots, though. They will rot if overwatered.

Laurie

Laurie,
Seems that I've read somewhere that iris will grow and bloom in pots. Do you know if that is true?
charlotte

Charlotte,

I have read that folks in warmer climates sometimes maintain beardeds in pots, but I wouldn't risk it in my climate without some sort of winter protection. I would guess that with enough room to increase, proper soil, water, fertilization, and sunlight, irises would do just fine in pots. I have, however, also read that potted irises tend to bloom on shorter stalks with smaller blooms, but I don't know if that was just one person's experience or if it would happen with potted irises as a general rule.

Laurie

Thanks Laurie, I did cut the first one back and it has already grown back an inch! I wouldn't cut the others. I do cut them back when I plant them out side, Right?

I don't know if this is the same kind of thing you are talking about, but this rang bell and lucky I found what had tweaked my memory (doesn't happen very often lol!) Maybe this will help:
http://members.rogers.com/cdn-iris/pots.html

Susan - a new-to-iris-and-I-feel-a-new-obsession-coming-on friend

When I planted my potted irises last summer, I don't think I cut any of them back, probably because they had nice big rootballs that kept them stable after transplantation. The leaves were rather thin and floppy from having been grown under lights, but I figured they'd still be necessary to feed the plants, so I just ignored the fact that half of them were laying on the ground. ;-)

I don't cut back healthy green foliage unless it's necessary to keep a newly transplanted iris upright until it roots in.

Laurie

Susan, thank you for the link!! Glad to know about cutting the roots back!

Laurie the reason I cut the iris back was because the foliage as thin & floppy. The way you explained it makes me wish I hadn't given it a trim!

Hi Bonnie, I thought I'd share my thoughts with you on this subject.

I grow a few irises in pots and in many cases they do better than those that are not. Of course they are in nice, large pots (5 gallon size or larger).

NOTE: Over the years I've found (irises in pots) ~ that the stalks will grow as tall as they should and bloom just as readily. :-) Also they are NOT shorter or have less blooms by any means............... and I don't go out of my way to baby them (because I just don't have the time). But if NOT cared for ~ I could see where they would not grow as well, or get as tall (the same is true though if they are in the ground and not given proper growing conditions as water and fertilization, etc)

As Laurie mentioned (and I agree), as long as they have enough room to increase, proper soil, water, fertilization, and sunlight, irises do just fine in pots. And I do live in a warmer climate, so it works like a dream for me! The fine line would probably exist somewhere between my climate and Laurie's. *Also, if the pot and soil used is light enough ~ one can move the pot around for winter protection if necessary.

Also, I find that potted irises need MORE WATER if they are in clay pots, and less if they are in certain types of plastic pots. The soil in pots that are porous ~ tend to dry out much quicker because the water is absorbed through the porous material.

As for cutting the iris leaves ~ I too have heard and read that it is best not to cut the leaves of iris, only remove the dead/dried up ones. The reason being is that some of it's food supply/energy are stored in the leaves that are green.

And as for cuttng the iris roots back ~ I've heard, and seen growers doing it both ways. In both cases it didn't seem to make any difference. I've tried it both ways as well, and it doesn't seem to make any difference for me either. So, now I just leave enough roots to help anchor the plant in the ground, so it won't tip over easily.

I hope this didn't muddy anything up for you. :-)

~Margie

No Margie, I can use all the help I can get!Thanks!
Those are just beautiful! It's hard to believe they are growing in a pot!! My planting in pots was just to get me through until the ground was soft, but now I'm wondering what if??? I planted some in Large pots(to leave there), would they winter kill here in my zone 4b??
Bonnie

Bonnie,

I know a commercial iris grower down in Mpls (zone 4) who pots irises for sale. She has told me that she can successfully overwinter MDBs and SDBs (tough little buggers) in gallon pots by placing them along the outside walls of her outbuildings, but TBs will winter kill in pots.

If you want to try experimenting with overwintering potted TBs, I suggest you choose a few tough oldies that you have plenty of to spare, plant some rzs in big pots in spring/early summer to give them lots of time to root in, then overwinter them tucked against the foundation of your house. That might work.

Laurie

Thanks, I just may try that! Margie's look so pretty in that pot! I can think of places I'd like to have the added color, then I could move them after they die back! I wish the foliage would stay looking nice through the summer! LOL,I know I want my cake and eat it too!

Ginny popping in here to say I have to cut off tops when they hit lights. move then into a window to enjoy bloom if that happens.
Ginny

I bought some Iris on sale this past fall when it was already too late to plant them out in this area for them to establish good root systems before the winter. I planted them in containers in a heated outdoor plant room with plenty of light tho not under plant lights. They've done nicely so far (lost only one to rot). They are growing like gangbusters now. The only problem I've had with them all winter has been aphids. I plan to plant them out in the summer but my question is: Should I fertilize them before the normal bloom time as I would if they were in the ground or just leave them alone and do it in the fall after they have been planted out?

sharvis