Enjoy some top quality fresh cut flowers to bring in Summer!  Available now are Gladiolus... brighten the season for yourself, a friend, a neighbor or relative.  Click here for details!

There are several different kinds of Irises, such as Bearded, Bulbous and Siberian.  All three are easy to grow, but the Bearded Iris is the most popular one.  They come in a wide range of colors with numerous combinations.  When describing the color of a particular variety, we talk about the following flower parts:

• Standards - the inner 3 single petals
• Falls - the outer 3 petals that bend back towards itself
• Beards - the fluffy part in the middle of the falls

Joyce Terry	Living Right	Chuckles
Yellow standards and white falls with well-defined border	Orange beards, lavender standards, white falls darkening to lavender	Honey-pink standards, falls berry-rose stitching on white ground

Bearded Iris like a well-drained soil and full sun at least during the middle of the day.  You can plant them in a special bearded iris display type garden or mixed with other plants.  Dwarf Bearded Iris are excellent for use in rock gardens.  You should plant Bearded Iris as soon as you buy or receive them so that they can establish a good root system in order to support the tall flower stalks next Spring.  Bearded Iris that are planted in the Spring may not flower the first year and, if they do, support the flower stalk so it will not fall over and break off.

When planting, dig a shallow hole and form a mound in the middle of it so that the top of the mound is slightly lower than the surrounding soil level.  Place the rhizome (bulb) on top of the mound with the roots radiating out.  Replace the soil and firm it up so that the top of the rhizome is above the soil surface.  Water well if it has not rained within 2 or 3 days of planting in order to settle the soil around the roots.

Fertilize in the Spring when the buds start showing and again after flowering to ensure next year's growth and only water them if it stays dry for too long.  Remove the dead leaves by pulling them down and backwards at soil level, especially when it is a wet season, to avoid rot and fungus.  In the fall, trim the leaves down to about 8 inches to prevent damage from winter and wind.  Take off the old flower stalks as they are bloomed out by snapping the stem forward.  Be on the lookout for aphids and crush them between your thumb and fingers as soon as you see one.  You can dig Bearded Iris when there are too many in one area.  Dig them up, divide them and plant them back immediately.  The best time to do this is about 6-8 weeks after flowering.

You can also bring your Bearded Iris garden indoors by cutting them and placing them in your favorite vase.  They will last indoors just as long as they would outdoors.  A large vase with 8 or 10 different Bearded Iris will make quite a statement!

If your tip is being used in our newsletter, you will receive a $10.00 gift certificate also redeemable for any items in our catalogs!  Email us your tip today!

For Fall, all orders over $50.00 receive 10 FREE Yellow Daffodils and, when you sign our guestbook, you will get a 10% discount on your first online order.  Remember to order early to ensure availability!

If you need or want a copy mailed to you, send us an email at info@touchofnature.com with your address and we will be happy to send it to you!