7 Important Tips for Growing Iris Flowers in a Backyard Garden

Three years ago we planted some Iris in one of our flower beds and they didn't do well in that particular spot. Personally, I think they got way too little sun and that is why they didn't do good.

Last Fall we made the decision to dig them up and move them to a different area on our property. This new area gets sun about two thirds of the day and shade the rest. When we re-planted them we added in some good fertilizer and left them alone throughout the winter season.

I am happy to report that the new location and the addition of great fertilizer has made all of the difference! Two weeks ago these lovelies were in full bloom and looked beautiful. All twenty-one of them look extremely healthy and colorful. I am very pleased with how they are doing now.

Here are 7 tips for growing the Iris in your backyard flower garden.

1. They need a lot of sunlight and should be planted in areas that get a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight every day. In other words, a mostly sunny area in your yard.

2. Plant them about 14-16" a part and when planting them always inspect them for disease. If you see any worms or rot...discard them immediately.

3. When moving your Iris from one area of the yard to another you will want to do this in late summer or very early fall. Do not attempt to do this in late winter or spring. Once dug up, you will want to re-plant them within hours.

4. Don't over-water them! Iris' are not overly thirsty! They will need watered twice a week for the first 3 weeks after being planted. Once the 3 weeks are over with...only water them if you have had several very hot and dry days. Even then, water them lightly and don't soak them.

5. After they are done blooming for the season you can trim them back. You will want to leave 5-6" of foliage, so don't trim them down to where nothing is left!

6. I sometimes cut my blooms and make a nice indoor flower arrangement. When cutting fresh blooms you will want to cut them at an angle and leave 6" of foliage (stems) sticking out of the ground.

7. Different people have different recommendations for fertilizing the Iris. We do ours every other year. In addition...you should NEVER mulch around them because mulch retains water/moister which can cause the Iris roots to rot.

Iris' at times can be tricky to grow if the soil isn't in the proper condition and some varieties of Iris are sun-sensitive. Moving our's to a new location was definitely the right thing to do.

In about two weeks my Hydrangeas, Roses and Miniature Roses should be in full bloom and I will try to grab a few pictures of those and give you some tips on what I've learned about growing those over the past few years. Enjoy!