Fertilizing Irises

[ipaintedmyhousewhite]

Do these get fertilized in the fall? What would I use? Thanks!

[Lavandula Girl]

You can fertilize in early fall, with a basic 10-10-10. If you chose to go with a manure,only use well rotted manure, because if it's still warm, it will burn the shallow rhizomes. Irises shouldn't be watered while truly dormant, because it also tends to make them rot. Therefore, if you use a granulated fertilizer, don't apply directly over the rhizome crown, because it may also burn the plant. They don't generally really need the potassium in a broad spectrum fertilizer either, but it won't hurt them. Are you moving the rhizomes, or just doing winter prep? If you're moving them, I would hold off on the fertilizer, dig in some compost only in the new site, and fertilize in early spring. Iris can be mulched in for winter if you think they might freeze and heave, but take the mulch away in spring, because they don't like damp soil. Finally, resist the urge to over nitrogen them (some people do this to anything semi-evergreen, in the mistaken attempt to "feed" them all winter). A high nitrogen granulated fertilizer will probably reduce your bloom quantity in spring.

[bluelacedredhead]

I have found through personal trial and error, that purple Irises, like (purple) violets, thrive on some division now and again, but mostly, on Neglect.
I've moved the Irises once in 13 yrs. Seldom cut back the leaves after the blooms die, and never ever water or fertilize them.
Maybe it's sheer luck on my part, but I have lots of blooms; even after the freerange chickens and turkeys all-they-can-eat on the leaves as they poke through the ground in early spring..

[onmyknees]

this redhead agrees with bluelaced i seldom do anything other than divide when the colors go to white and never fertilize. I do mulch with chopped up leaves tho and they multiply bloom in spite of my lack of attention i sometimes water but only because i interplant with Liatris and mums and echinacea. I have Liatris and echinacea seed if any one want them

[flowerpower]

Every few yrs I will divide the Irises. Otherwise I don't do anything to them and they do pretty well.

onmyknees, what does "when the colors go to white" mean?

[ipaintedmyhousewhite]

Moving maybe one, the rest I have moved recently. This is my first winter/spring with them, I've never even seen them bloom.

Flowerpower, when you say don't water, getting rained on is okay, right? I need the remedial version here :) I'm very much the beginner with the flowers.

I'll probably winter mulch with leaves, then. And not fertilize.

[flowerpower]

Getting rained on is fine. You don't need to give the Irises any additional watering.