
Twelve easy Rules 
SOIL PREPARATION. Work soil well to a depth of 10 to 12 
inches. If soil is heavy, incorporate sand so moisture perco- 
lates out quickly. The soil should not be acid. If it is, apply 
lime, otherwise no lime is recommended. 
FERTILIZATION. Iris will thrive without feeding but will respond 
to its application. In the matter of fertilizers, garden sense 
should be used in liberal quantity. A nice garden soil will 
grow fine Iris. Use care not to get nitrogenous materials on 
or near the roots, rot may start. An excessively heavy nitro- 
genous feeding will give very lush growth which is more sus- 
ceptible to rot. In the preparation of your new Iris bed, spade 
in a good application of compost below the roots. Well pro- 
a cessed compost is ideal. Then an application of a well bal- 
| anced fertilizer applied as a top dressing dusted around and 
5 in between the plants in early spring or very late fall is de- 
sirable. Steamed bone meal and super-phosphate are fine top 
dressing materials. ‘The compost furnishes humus and valu- 
able soil organisms. We have found the yearly spring appli- 
cation of gypsum, just as growth starts, has always been help- 
ful as an antidote for Iris troubles; it also helps as a soil con- 
ditioner. It is easy to overdo Ivis fertilizing, but undesirable 
to omit feeding entirely. 
CULTIVATING. Do it shallowly. Iris feeding roots are very near 
the surface. Keep your Iris free of weeds and do not allow 
neighboring plants to encroach upon them. Remember, they 
should have sunlight right down to the rhizome. Remove the 
9 outer leaves as they begin to brown. At all times keep litter, 
SNOW FLURRY old Iris leaves, grasses, etc., away from the rhizomes. Clean 
cultivation is the finest precaution for Ivis troubles. 
WHEN TO PLANT. For best results plant July through Septem-~ 
ber. Early planting establishes the new Iris plants before 
winter. This is the time to reset clumps of Iris that are 
crowded, generally clumps 3 to 4 years old. In the extreme 
heat of the South, it is more advisable to plant after the ex- 
tremes of summer heat are over—September is recommnded. 
WHERE TO PLANT. The ideal location for your Ivis is a sunny, 
well drained position. Sunshine, at a minimum half days; Iris. 
will not do well in the deep shade. No water should stand in 
your Iris beds. Raise beds slightly above the level of your 
garden paths if necessary. 
GENERAL GARDEN CARE. We prefer to cultivate shallowly 
after each rain when the ground has dried sufficiently for 
proper tilth. As the Iris grow, the outside foliage becomes 
limp. We remove these 
outside leaves every so 
often. Particularly 
about two weeks after 
blooming time. We do 
not trim the Iris foli- 
age on established 
plants except to cut off 
some leaf spot should 
that show up. Blooms 
stems are cut level 
with the ground after 
blooming on a dry day 
so the cut heals quickly. 














‘ \ old 
’ browning 
leaves 
ooo aa 

ELSA SASS 
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