Getting iris to bloom

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Iris grow well here in the desert. In fact, they do so well, they grow "like weeds" - and if you have clumps of iris that aren't blooming any more, here is a trick to get them back to blooming. Dig them up. I'm not kidding here. I actually did that for a neighbor of mine next door who had lots and lots of iris, but no blooms. I dug them all up, separated the bulbs (actually, technically they're rhizomes), poured in a bunch of fresh potting soil and fertilizer, and watered them in well. Wow! What a show that spring! And since there were way more bulbs than could fit in the planting area, I took a few and planted them over at The Tropical Paradise.


The plain fact is that iris refuse to bloom when they get too crowded. Give them a little space of their own, say, about 4-5 inches between bulbs, plant them shallowly (not too deep!), cut back the leaves, and they will perform for you. If you want the most bloom every season, dig them up in the fall (no, it's not too late right now), and replace them. Give them plenty of water, and stand back!

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