About Long Island Gardener Expertise Growing Tulips? Dahlias? Daffodils? Gladiolus? It doesn't get easier than bulbs and tubers. Once in a while, something goes wrong: The dreaded Narcissus Bulb Fly, which resembles a honeybee. Mosaic virus, which can ignite a field of tulips in a single season. Nematodes, lurking underground. Here on the North Shore of Long Island, the garden is full of surprises. If you live in the Northeast/Atlantic Coast, I can help you pick the right bulb for every season, indoors and out, and help you fertilize, bloom and harvest for home or work. How: I have degrees in related fields, but my best understanding is all learned from trial and error. For most of my 53 years I have been gardening somewhere. No matter what the problem, I've learned the best answers are always Organic -- Earth friendly, less expensive, healthier for people and pets, easier and cleaner than toxic liquids and powders that big chemical companies sell so smoothly.
Experience Besides degrees in related fields, and a few favorite horticultural societies, I work as a docent at our local botanical gardens -- but it's the years of work in the garden that's the real test.
Question Is it possible to store my double bearded iris bulbs over the winter? I do not have any locations to plant them at this time until spring when I have completed an additional project that will open up additional space for the plantings? I have them completely cleaned and dry right now.
I have a basement - I am in Colorado. I also have a dry potato sack if that would be good. The basement is cool, dry and not damp.
Any advice to save and store my beautiful iris rhizomes would be immensely appreciated!!!
Answer Get your jacket and let's scoot over to Ken Walker's Bulbous Iris website for a chat:
Your Iris Germanica ('Bearded') usually go dormant right after flowering. That mean's it's still Summer when your Irises are fading to black. This is the Season to 'lift' them for further attention before you move them to another site. As you have already done, you would dust off Soil. Then get yourself a container of Powdered Sulphur and dust with that. Alternately, you can dip Rhizomes in a solution of 10 parts Water to 1 part Bleach. Store like Dahlias in your dry potato sack, kept in the basement; alternately, plant in nursery containers until Spring, then plant in the new location. Parfait!
