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Gardening

BlueToTheBone

(3,747 posts)

15. Do you cut the leaf back in mid summer?

Reply to Suich (Original post)

Thu Jun 13, 2013, 08:35 AM

Jun 2013

Do the rhizomes break through the earth? They like to lump up on top of the earth. Cut them back almost to the ground, fertilize with good like bone meal. If they are too crowded, they won't bloom either.

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3 years ago I planted 12 Dutch iris bulbs. [View all] Suich Apr 2013 OP

how deep did you plant them? Tuesday Afternoon Apr 2013 #1

About 2"-3". Suich Apr 2013 #2

are they getting enough sun? need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. n/t Tuesday Afternoon Apr 2013 #3

They get enough sun. n/t Suich Apr 2013 #5

The surface of the rhizomes like to be baked - direct sun on them. Over time they get covered up NRaleighLiberal Apr 2013 #4

Yes...they have to have that exposure or forget it...nt snappyturtle Apr 2013 #6

These are bulbs. Suich Apr 2013 #7

Hmmm....as they say, that's very different! My Google search says 4 inches deep... NRaleighLiberal Apr 2013 #8

I'm bummed because all 12 of them bloomed the 1st year, Suich Apr 2013 #9

Letting the foliage go feeds the bulb....let it go (does it die back?) NRaleighLiberal Apr 2013 #10

They need a bonemeal or superphosphate fertilizer pscot Apr 2013 #11

Bonemeal it is! Suich Apr 2013 #12

Did you leave the vegetation until it turned yellow/brown? sinkingfeeling Apr 2013 #13

Yup! n/t Suich Apr 2013 #14

Do you cut the leaf back in mid summer? BlueToTheBone Jun 2013 #15