new to irises

I've never planted irises before and have received mine from the co-op. It says to not cover the tops. Therefore, they are basically just sitting on the dirt, as the roots are so short they aren't covered much. If I had a HUGE windstorm, they would blow over! Luckily we don't get windstorms.

Am I planting them correctly? They sure are easy to plant, which makes me suspicious!

Also, I planted them in the dry state they arrived in. Should I have soaked the roots first? I did water well after planting.

Thanks,
Gwen

I typically plant a bearded iris so that the top of the rhizome (that potato-looking thing at the bottom of the leaf fan) is level with or slightly below the soil surface (no deeper than 1/2". If you plant it too deeply, it may refuse to bloom. If, however, the entire rhizome is sitting on top of the dirt with only the roots buried, it may have difficulty anchoring solidly into the soil.

Planting them dry is fine. They don't require pre-planting soaking unless the rzs were badly dessicated, which they surely wouldn't have been from the co-op. Watering them deeply immediately after planting is sufficient. Water them deeply once more in a week if you don't get rainfall, then just let Ma Nature take over from there. Most losses of bearded irises by new growers are a result of overwatering.

Laurie