Planting iris

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Radio interview source: Susan Appleget-Hurst, garden editor, Better Homes and Gardens

I can always count on my irises to put on a vibrant show. I have about ten varieties. The original iris garden on the south side of the garage was there when we moved in, then I transplanted some of those to another garden, and up by the sign in our front yard. I transplant in the fall, and they always come up vigorously the following spring.

If there's one trick to planting irises, it's making sure the white fleshy part, called the rhizome, isn't planted too deep. The iris won't bloom, and could even rot.

Susan Appleget-Hurst is a garden editor for Better Homes and Gardens, and says the rhizome should be visible on top of the soil, and just barely covered.

"The rhizome itself isn't actually a root," Appleget-Hurst says. "It will have roots that grow out of that into the soil. And the best way to do that when you buy new rhizomes or when you're digging and dividing, keep track of which side is up, and you can see little roots coming down. Build a little trench with a ridge in the middle and lay the rhizome on the ridge, so the roots can lay down deeper in the soil. And then cover up those edges with soil."

If you are planting several, space them about 18 inches apart, facing the same way. That's so the rhizomes will grow in the same direction without crowding.