CULTIVATION OF BEARDED IRISES 



By G. L. PlLKINGTON, 



Hon. Sec. of the Iris Society 

 of England. 



It should be unnecessary to point out 

 what must by now be generally an 

 accepted fact, namely, that these Irises 

 are essentially sun - lovers. Further- 

 more, that they should be planted in 

 positions where good drainage exists, 

 and should not be expected to give the 

 best flowering results when placed in 

 dense herbaceous borders where the 

 sun can seldom penetrate to the rhiz- 

 omes. If they can be grown in a sunny 

 border by themselves so much the bet- 

 ter; if not, then let them at least have 

 a position in the front of the herba- 

 ceous border. They are not particular 

 as to soil, and are far better not top- 

 dressed with patent manures, bone- 

 meal, etc. The use of lime is often 

 quoted as being essential, and is often 

 very much overdone in consequence. 



I have always found that a dressing 

 of ground limestone dug into the Iris 

 border at the first planting supplies all 

 that is needed in this respect, and is, 

 moreover, practically everlasting, in 

 that it dissolves very slowly indeed, 

 and therefore cannot be given in ex- 

 cess. 



Another important factor in the cul- 

 tivation of these Irises is the trans- 

 planting. Opinions vary as to the best 

 time for this operation, but I am in- 

 clined to think, after trying all times, 

 that it makes little difference to the 

 next year's blooming whenever it is 

 done, provided that the ground is in 

 good order for the work, and that it is 

 not left until too late in the autumn. 



Late-planted Irises seldom get a hold 

 before the real winter sets in and are, 

 in consequence, often "heaved" out of 

 the soil by frosts, and make a poor 

 show the following summer. There is 

 no rule for dividing and transplanting 

 Irises, such as "every third year," as is 

 often stated. 



The condition of the plant must de- 

 cide this. Some of the more rampant 

 growers should be divided and trans- 

 planted every other year, and if this is 

 done it will be found that they rarely 

 suffer from rhizome rot. The vigorous 

 growers, if allowed to remain undis- 



turbed for a period as long as three 

 years, make such a dense clump that 

 the sunlight cannot penetrate, with the 

 result that not only do they bloom 

 sparsely, but often they are attacked 

 by disease in the form of rhizome rot. 

 This is particularly so in the case of 

 Irises of the "Dominion" race. 



A liberal use of superphosphate of 

 lime, which can be incorporated in the 

 soil whilst replanting the divisions, 

 does much to ward off the attacks of 

 this disease. "Doubtful" rhizomes of 

 varieties which are too valuable to 

 throw away should have all the soil 

 removed from them, be dipped in a 

 mauve solution of permanganate of 

 potash, and then left in a dry, airy 

 place for a month or six weeks before 

 transplanting. 



If they are going to rot they will do 

 so in spite of all these precautions. If 

 they survive they can be replanted 

 with every prospect of success. 



Owing to the vagaries of our weather 

 I frequently have Irises on my hands 

 waiting for suitable weather and soil 

 conditions to replant them for a month 

 or more at a time, and though the 

 rhizomes dry up entirely and the 

 leaves die down considerably I have 

 never found that the plant suffers in 

 the least. Root-action goes on whilst 

 the rhizome is in the dry state, and 

 the plant goes ahead very quickly as 

 soon as it is replanted. I would far 

 rather adopt this principle than "heel 

 in" the plants pending replanting, 

 .which generally results in the break- 

 ing off of new fibrous roots which the 

 plant has made during the period of 

 waiting. 



One other point about planting. The 

 rhizomes should not be planted deep, 

 but should be placed just below the 

 level of the soil surface and the roots 

 spread out to insure firm planting and 

 room for expansion. The rhizome will 

 soon work to the surface again, but if 

 planted on the surface in the first in- 

 stance it is not so easy to get the plant 

 firm in the ground, which is essen- 

 tial. — "Gardening Illustrated." 



