Reblooming Iris

Low How Silver at HCC campus gardens

Many of you may be surprised to see iris blooming now in your neighbor’s garden, it’s not just a fluke of Mother Nature, some iris really do bloom in the fall.  Your success will depend on how you have prepared the garden, the soil fertility and amendments used, and the local climate including the microclimates within your own yard. Rebloomers need additional summer watering and extra fertilizer with nitrogen because they must make new increases in order to bloom again in the fall.  Spring bloom only iris simple cannot increase fast enough for rebloom.  They bloom on the ‘mother’ rhizome and then wait for the side increases to obtain sufficient growth to bloom again, normally this is one year or the next spring.

Harvest of Memories in my garden

Thanks to our iris hybdrizers, reblooming iris have improved greatly in the last few years. The form and color is better. Also many more varieties are becoming available but unfortunately not all iris will rebloom for you.  Many of these beauties are almost all-season bloomers in CA and other moderate climate areas, yet it is not uncommon to have iris bloom for my friend in Hutch but refuse to bloom for me here in Yoder or vice versa.

Perfume Counter at HCC gardens

The best location for buying reblooming iris is from a reliable iris nursery which will list what zones or states rebloom has been reported. Another source is your neighbor where you see them or the local iris club. Information can also be found on the reblooming face book page or http://www.rebloomingiris.com/. 

Submitted by Reno County Master Gardener Judy Eckhoff.