Feeding Irises

While writing my question about feeding roses, I thought a note here would be timely. If you haven't fed your bearded irises, do so now. Quickly. Run out and buy some superphosphate (give them a 1/2 handfull each plant) and a small bag of sulphate of pottasium (only a tiny pinch of this). This will enhance the bloom and help the rhizomes store away food for producing more side rhizomes. Don't overdo the nitrogenous fertilisers, but when they have finished bloom, a feed of dynamic lifter or rooster booster, and a watering once a fortnight if you can manage will push them along.
For Thee - in summer, your irises in pots ..... you should water them once a week in the cool of the morning, and pop them in light shade to reduce evaporation or rhizome scorch. They do need winter sun though.
I will ask Cosmic when she gets back, if I can do a monthly iris cultural advice, as a sticky, as we don't have access to all that work I did earlier this year.
Cheers, Jan

Mine get watered at least weekly Jan and I have fed them with seasol and seamungus already ??

Seasol is OK for root establishment, and yours look well established. I usually don't bother as I have too many and it would cost too much for all the seasol, not to mention the time it would take. The superphosphate is for bloom development and size, and i think the pottassium for rhizome health and also for intensity of colour in the bloom. Will go look them up when I have time.
Cheers, Jan

Is there an organic way to feed them Jan - that gets results I mean.

Cowmanure, well rotted and mixed into the soil when you prepare the bed, with well rotted compost too. This can be a little rich for them and they need to be hilled up so that the drainage is sufficient. They are heavy feeders, but are fairly hardy. You just might not get as much bloom as with super. They are the only plants I use super on. If you can find a general purpose organic fertiliser in packets, that has an NPK ratio of around 6:6:6 that would be suitable, in my opinion.
Cheers, Jan

Oh - And I must say that they do need a pH of 7 or more to do well, so if your soil is on the acid side they will need lime, or if you plan ahead, Dolomite which takes longer to sweeten the soil.
Chees, Jan