Non-flowering iris - any ideas ??

[catsmother]

I have several iris (separate clumps) planted in a nice sunny spot ... the rhizomes are exposed, they're not shaded blah blah .... but last year and this although I've had plenty of healthy leaf growth, I've had no flowers :(

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be wrong ?

Thanks

My iris didn't flower last year either. I put it down to lack of sun at the right time, I understood that they really need the rhizomes to bake (mind you I'm in west wales and its rare that we ever have it that sunny!) its too early for it yet so don't know about this year.

Do you know what sort of irises they are, catsmother? Sibiricas or tall bearded or whatever. I will ask my mum - she breeds irises and has helped write a book on them, so may be able to help.

Sorry for delay ...... They're all bearded iris SDTG, but I can't remember the individual varities.

Only one of mine has! I'm in the East, have had lots of sun but only one iris so far and no sign of anything doing on any of the others.

I mistakenly covered up some of the exposed rhizomes the other day I'll have to go and exhume them now.

Mine is a new garden so first time with iris although my mum has grown them successfully in her garden up North.

When should I give up hope of more flowers? I really don't know anything about them at all.

Catsmother - I will give my mum a ring tonight and ask her what might stop bearded irises flowering.

Thanks ..... it's funny as they've all flowered previously for about 3-4 years on the trot.

Perhaps they need digging up, splitting, and replanting - i.e. perhaps they're congested?

I've asked my mum, and her first suggestion was the same as sonearsofar - if the rhisomes are overcrowded, they won't flower. If you dig them up, take off any dead bits, and split them up, then replant them with more space, that might help. She suggested putting some manure or compost in when you put the rhisomes back, but put some ordinary soil between the compost/manure and the rhisomes, as it can cause them to rot if they are in direct contact.

Another reason they might not be flowering is if they aren't getting enough sun, or if the summer is cool and not particularly sunny. Mum says that the buds develop in the rhisome the summer beforehand, so if last year wasn't very good, or if they were overshadowed by other plants last summer, they mightn't have developed any buds for this year.

Hope this helps.

Thanks ! Looks like I'll have to do a bit of rearranging in that area of the garden.

You could pot some of the rhisomes up, and plant them elsewhere when they are established. Just make sure that they can get plenty of sun, as it is that which will cause the rhisome to make the buds this year that will flower next year.

I hope you have a beautiful display of flowers next year!