One day bloom for Siberian Iris :(

Have waited 4 seasons for blooms from my newest ones and they are only lasting for one day!
We have had unusually strange weather-even for WI (was 86 today)..could that do it?
Should I tag them to be moved to more shade when I move?
SO glad that I took photos! and showed my neighbor yesterday.
Any help appreciated, this has not been a banner year for any, but my old standards (gotta love them)

Marcia, I grow Sibericas here in the UK and from my own experiences I have found that they do better in semi-shade (or even a shady spot) rather than full sun. I have tried growing them in full sun in front of my bearded irises and the flowers last only half as long as the ones growing in the shade. They also seem to like more moisture than the bearded irises. Mine do well in the moist area surrounding the garden pond.
I hope this helps a little.

Terri

Thanks Terri, I think that I will tag and pack their bags when bloom is over. You would think that they would be grateful to have the best space in the garden and by my first effort at a tiny dry stream....! :)

LOL, I have this little mental image of a Siberica iris walking down the road with a suitcase.
Probably headiing back to Siberia, where it's a little bit cooler, haha

I have most of mine in full sun and they have lots of blooms because the plants are bigger and they have good branching. This is last year.

Boojum,
Your siberians are magnificent. I hope to do half as well some day!

They're absolutely beautiful Boojum!!
What's the name of the deep purple one (front left of your picture) that's one I'd give up a month's chocolate for.
Thanks for sharing your fantastic Sibericas. Just goes to show, what will grow well in one spot for one person will go all 'sulky' for another, LOL

Terri

Hmmmm... after seeing Boojum's photo, I guess I need more sibs in different colors. I lost some in my last move to this place.

Hafta go look at my markers for that purple since no no name pops up in the old noggin'.

I think that they sometimes pout. My reliable perewinkle ones have only sent up one stalk. Maybe I did too much dividing and sending last season.
Boojum, Love those colors and the pattern of design...when I move..will do better,,,,

Thanks! I keep forgetting to check the name on the purple.....

boojum,
What is your secret? I have a clump of Ceasar's brother about the same size as yours in the photo. It's in the sun and I did mulch it heavily, but I had maybe 1/2 of the blooms on it compared to yours. I don't see drip errigation or sprinklers in the photo and am guessing these irises are not getting much suplemental watering. I am working toward an iris garden so am trying to learn as much as I can.

I use alfalfa tea every month, but I only water them once or twice all summer. This used to be a dairy farm so the soil is good here. They are heavily mulched and mostly neglected. Every year is different. Many this year appear shorter because of lack of snow cover, I believe. We'll see if my show is as good as last year's.

Hello, while you are checking, do you have a name for the periwinkle colored ones on the right.? They look like some of mine, from a purchase at White Flower Farm a gazillion years ago, before I ever kept information.

My brand of Caesar's Brother is a good bloomer each year with no supplemental watering. I say brand, as it came as Caesar's Brother, but mine is quite short. Caesar's Brother is apparently very mixed up in commerce.

The purple on the left is Jamaican Velvet, Terri.

HMM, looks like mine, but I don't think it was out when I ordered. I remember Caesars Brother, Eric the red and Butterflies in Flight. It doesn't look like BiF, and I don't remember another name...nothing new in that.
You have such a lovely garden.
My CB and white ones do fine in the sun, maybe the newest hybrids are a bit more fussy or need lots more time to settle in.
The ones that I call Caesar-have small blooms on tall stalks...like really big blue-eyed grass. They are 3' tall this year, except the ones that are shaded by near-by peonies-they top out at 20". Mother Nature rules!

Thanks Boojum, it is probably not available over here but I'm going to keep a lookout for it, that's for sure!
I have a beautiful one that's similar, called 'Ruffled Velvet' one of my favourites.

Terri

I got SB from Marcia. It is rather tall and blumes are small. The spot it is in is at the corner of a sidewalk and the driveway. The soil is poor and dry.