"HA HA Budys Here" wrote in message
...
From: "Vox Humana"


"HA HA Budys Here" wrote in message
...
I have a couple of clumps of iris but not the bearded type, this type
is
standard and grows like a clump of ornamental grass. They're purple.
They
didn't flower profusely this season but the green part of the plants is
healthier than it's ever been.

Last time I seperated this huge clump into 2 smaller clumps into "pits"
of
very
dark compost but for a couple seasons neither the stalks nor the leaves
would
stay upright as the compost didn't provide a good solid "foundation"
NOw
that
the planting medium has naturalized and the plants look sturdy &
strong,
they're not flowering.

Do Iris prefer not to be treated to a soft, rich royal meal of home
made
compost, when I redivide for better flowering?

It sounds like Siberian Iris "Caeser's brother."
http://plantsdatabase.com/go/33225/
http://plantsdatabase.com/showimage/40585/
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/p....asp?code=D560

I have a large clump that is about 6 years old. It took a couple of
years
to get established and then bloomed well for a couple of years. The last
two years it hasn't bloomed well at all. I think it needs to be divided.
I
also think that it is getting too much fertilizer. I try not to
fertilize
it directly, but it is on a slope and I suspect that there is nutrient
run-off from the upper part of the bed. They like constant moisture and
a
good deal of sun to do well. I wouldn't get to involved with amending
the
soil as they probably do better in average soil.


Thanks. Mine are at the bottom of a slope as well. They used to get a shot
of
miracle-grow runoff from above but I've discontinued using fertilizers now
because I've ammended just about every planted area on the property.

Thing is, I could swear they bloomed better last year and the year before,
and
I'm unsure whether to divide and re-plant or just leave them alone to
naturalize some more.

I'm sure mine need to be divided. The problem is that they have deep roots
and are a pain to dig and divide. Then I have the added issue that I don't
have any good place to put the extras.