Transplanting criteria for Iris

I’d delayed transplanting these irises which weren’t blooming but they look better now, after years. Is the soil health the determinant of blooming?…

Iris – damage, small holes in rhizomes

Hi. Something has dug up a mass of irises in my yard. I’m not sure if it was an animal or if this is a sign of insect damage. There are small holes in some of the rhizomes. The clump…

Prepare iris for winter

I have a cluster of beautiful pale blue/mauve iris. Should I trim the long leaves off before winter, or leave them to serve as a blanket for the winter months?…

Tulip blight – Botrytis tulipae

Nearly all of my tulips got Botrytis tulipae this year.  I am cleaning up the area and won’t be planting tulips in the same location for a few years.  My question is whether or not it’s safe to plant other…

Reappearing irises

I have predominantly blue irises in my yard. Some years ago, to my delight, some tall yellow irises appeared. They disappeared after two seasons. Now, more than 5 years later, three stunted, 8″ tall, pure yellow irises appear 3 ft…

Do Iris Buds Bloom Placed into a Vase?

I’ve attached a photo of some buds from my Irises, which bloom quickly and are gone for the season. Would these buds, if placed in a vase, as I intend to gift them, open, and bloom in a vase with…

Bearded iris blooms

Now that the blooms of my tall bearded iris (iris Germanica) are over should I cut down the stem to the ground or just half way?  …

Critter Digging Up Irises*

What’s the best deterrent if Irises are being dug up in a garden? First I saw a big print, as though someone had stepped down on the Irises. I guessed it was a child chasing a ball, but it was…