Propagating Iris Bulbs after Flowering
The star performer in the garden this year, was undoubtedly Iris. It came up quickly and stayed for long, producing bloom after bloom leaving everyone in awe! I have never been so much in love with Iris before but this year, i definitely wanted to save the bulbs after it had finished flowering. Such good varieties are hard to come by! I wasn’t sure if the bulbs could be propagated in our weather but i was in for a pleasant surprise!
- Upon digging the Iris bulbs carefully, i discovered ( to my delight) that they appear to be forming bulb-lets around the main bulbs!
- I chose a shaded spot in the backyard and tilled a pot of soil with sand and some compost.
- Sand helps with drainage & prevents bulbs rot.
- Compost is essential for healthy bulb formation.
- Make sure that winter flower bulbs, specially non-native ones do not get direct summer sun or they will die rather than multiply.
- Since the bulbs could not be divided yet, i simply cleaned them a bit and replanted.
- Do not force apart the bulb-lets if they are very small and not have any leaves attached. It means they are still a part of the main bulb. I found it better to let them grow as they were.
- Once the foliage dies off, i will be digging out the clumps & then separate them gently before storing for the next season.
HAPPY GARDENING 🙂
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