The Luck of the Iris: Caring for the Siberian Iris Colony That Never Stood a Chance
Under normal circumstances, caring for a Siberian iris plant and its colony of fellow Siberian irises is a snap. These plants are hardy as hell and extremely forgiving of all sorts of less than ideal growing conditions. My own little batch has had more than a few curveballs lobbed in its direction, but, with a little luck on its side, all of its members have remained true to form, and have carried on in typical Siberian iris fashion. For the most part.
If you buy a pretty little plant to bring home and grow on your property, you’ll probably do all you can to give it a happy life, like watering it when you’re supposed to water it and planting it in a good spot where it’ll get as much sunshine, etc. as it needs. You’ll probably not intentionally deprive it of such things. Most rational people who grow plants for kicks, despite the contradiction in terms, will do so with the best interests of those plants in mind. But sometimes, as was the case with my Siberian irises, circumstances will dictate a more circuitous route to a given plant’s health and happiness. Sometimes, a plant needs a little luck to survive and thrive, and sometimes the person who’s growing it needs to go the extra mile to give it a fighting chance. Caring for my Siberian iris colony ultimately involved the satisfaction of both of these requirements.
Note to readers: In this very short little article, you’re not going to find breathtakingly beautiful photos of over-the-top gorgeous flowers. What you will find here, at least as far as photography goes, are a few shots of Siberian irises (a little on the puny side) valiantly persisting in far less than ideal growing conditions.
Caring for the Siberian Iris Colony that Never Had a Chance
Four years ago, I found a struggling clump of plants growing in shady sand behind our old air conditioner condensing unit in our hardiness zone 5B/6A garden. Since the only evidence of plant growth in this case was green, grassy, strap-like foliage with no flowers whatsoever, I couldn’t be 100% sure of what I was seeing. My mate, Dee Dee, told me she thought that the plants were irises, but she wasn’t sure. All I knew at the time was that, whatever they were, I didn’t plant them, and that they were in the way of the garden construction we’d planned and that they’d need to be excavated. Without knowing exactly what they were, I started digging.
Within seconds I knew that this struggling clump of grass-like leaves was a little iris colony. The rhizomatous root systems gave them away, and so did the mostly illegible plant tag (the words “Siberian iris” and a pic of a pretty purple flower were the only pieces of info I could make out) I’d unearthed with the first shovelful. When I mentioned these facts to Dee Dee, she was delighted. She also immediately decided that they would be saved (although, truthfully, I knew all along that I was going to save them) and that they’d be planted in that special place where she’d always wanted irises to grow.
“What special place, and why didn’t you just put them there to begin with? I mean, you’re the one who planted them, right?” Me.
“You’ll see.”
That special place where Dee Dee always thought irises should be planted (but never were) was in front of the mailbox that her dad had built and installed as a present years before. Her dad’s gift sat right at the eastern edge of the property almost to the roadside. And it was anchored in concrete.
My first tentative shovel assault on the terrain in front of the roadside mailbox told me everything I needed to know about this digging job. The “crush and run” road base stone (used as the substrate for our little paved public road) combined with the concrete that Dee Dee’s dad used to set the mailbox to form an impenetrable stratum of thick, craggy, rocky ground. I couldn’t imagine being able to excavate a hole deep enough in this stuff to properly plant the Siberian iris colony I’d just unearthed. And even if I did manage to get something dug that was close enough in gape and depth to accommodate the irises’ network of roots, I couldn’t see them surviving once I planted them in it.
Planting and caring for a Siberian iris colony in this rocky ground would be next to impossible.
But, as they say, if there’s a will, there’s a way…
There was definitely a will. Dee Dee loved her dad’s present and wanted to honor it by adorning the ground in which it was anchored with a little clump of iris plants that had really never had a chance. And I wanted to be the one to get the job done. Honor Dee Dee’s dad, dress up the mailbox, save the lives of some little underdog plants, and make my better half happy… a win-win-win-win.
And there was also most definitely a way – a two-step way, as a matter of fact. Step one, of course, was the excavation part, which sucked. This involved alternately chipping away at the rocky mantle with a pickaxe, and digging the craggy shit out tiny shovelful by tiny shovelful. The process was about as easy as shoving my head inside a Vlasic pickle jar and bobbing for gherkins. But in the end, it was worth it. I ended up with a diminutive pit just barely big enough and deep enough to get the irises bedded.
The second part of the whole process of planting and caring for this Siberian iris crew involved fertilization on a regular basis (the barren ground of their new bed offered little in the way of nutrients), periodic soil acidification, and nearly continual watering of the colony’s craggy new home. Light conditions in this spot were less than optimal, and the rocky, gravelly ground drained water away instantly. I knew the whole process was going to be difficult and that the odds of success – mine and the plants’ – were long. Still, I took heart in the fact that the little stunted iris plants were not only lucky to be here in their new, albeit less-than-perfect home, but lucky to be alive at all. How many years had they languished in complete shade behind a decrepit piece of machinery, their roots in sand that offered no nutrition? Dee Dee didn’t even remember when she’d first planted them…
Today, four years later, the little Siberian iris colony thrives. The pics here in this piece tell the story. These irises are not as big and beautiful as they would be had they been growing under perfect conditions. But they’re lucky to be alive, and I feel lucky to tend them. Their special place at the mailbox honors two very important people in my life, and satisfies my late mate’s desire to grow them there. And I believe, on some ineffable, indescribable level, the little Siberian iris colony is grateful for its good fortune and for the care it’s received. And I know that I’m grateful for the beauty that these little plants provide, the honor and the wish that their very lives fulfill, and their own remarkable, admirable perseverance.
I’ve worked hard to save them, but they’ve worked even harder.
Caring for a Siberian Iris Plant (and Its Colony)
Since I don’t consider this to be a full-on RGG How-To article, the recipe I’m offering today for caring for Siberian iris plants is very basic and very short. You’ll find it all in the green box below. before you check it out, just know that these plants are incredibly hardy, incredibly forgiving of adverse conditions, and super easy to care for. Here you go…
Caring for Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica)
The Basics
Plant family – Iridaceae (includes such other genera as Gladiolus, Sisyrinchium, and Crocus, etc.). Height – 2′-4′. Spread – 12″-24″. Light – full to partial sun. Bloom color – can be purple, blue, yellow, red, white, or pink. Bloom time – late spring through early summer. Foliage – perennial, green, grass-like leaves that persist after blooming and remain beautiful until fall. Root system – rhizomatous. Soil – slightly acidic to neutral, moist, and well-drained. Hardiness – zones 3-8. Growth rate – fast. Although the particular colony featured here today has grown and spread very slowly (due to less than ideal growing conditions), I’ve planted Siberian iris in great light and soil conditions, and one small plant quickly turned into a clump of big plants. Pollinators – bees, moths, and butterflies. Toxicity – toxic to humans and animals. Pest resistance – excellent microbe, fungal, insect, deer and rodent resistance.
Notes from the Field
Hardy, forgiving, adaptable. My caring for the Siberian iris colony featured here today is something that wouldn’t even be happening if these had been lesser plants. Siberian iris is as tough and adaptable as any plant I’ve ever grown. In terms of caring for a Siberian iris plant(s) bedded in ideal conditions… forget about it. Literally. They’re practically zero maintenance. Just satisfy the minimal conditions outlined below and they”ll do great.
Suggestions for Planting Siberian Iris
Plant them as soon as you get them. Whether you buy them in potted form, or as bare root rhizomes, get them in the ground ASAP and let them start doin’ their thang.
Light and temperature conditions. When caring for a Siberian iris plant or plants, remembering to satisfy their light needs is important. They love full to partial sun. In shade, they’ll remain somewhat stunted, they’ll flop, and they won’t bloom as profusely.
Soil. They like their dirt moist but well-drained. A pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 works well. I wouldn’t let my Siberian iris’ soil drift into firmly alkaline territory. Slightly acidic has worked well for mine.
Fertilizing. If they’re growing in great light and soil conditions, these plants don’t require much fertilization, if any. (I grew some years ago in another garden that got massive, and bloomed like crazy, and were never, ever fertilized.) But in caring for my Siberian iris colony growing next to their mailbox in acutely substandard conditions, fertilization is part of the plan. In any case, it certainly never hurts to feed Siberian irises. You’ll see what I use below.
Water. Yep. Especially if they’re growing in full sun, and even MORE especially if the soil is super-fast-draining. They do like moist soil conditions, but you’ll kill them if you let their roots get soggy and stew.
Pruning and/or Deadheading
Nah. I just cut the dried, brown foliage to the ground in early winter.
Product Recommendations
When I’m caring for my Siberian iris clump, I feed them some really excellent food, and I also make sure that their soil stays in the proper pH range. Below are the goods I use to make all this happen.
Espoma Organic Plant-tone. I am a huge fan of Espoma’s line of organic fertilizers. Plant-tone is the one I use for the majority of the plants in my garden. It’s got an N-P-K ratio of 5-3-3 and is a great all-purpose organic fertilizer. It works perfectly for an incredibly wide variety of ornamental plants. Again, Espoma Organic Plant-tone is the food that a huge number of my plants get. They love it, and it shows. This is the food I use in caring for the Siberian iris colony featured in this article. You can order this product here, directly from Amazon, by clicking the #advertisement link.
Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier. Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier is the perfect product for lowering the pH and increasing the acidity of your garden’s soil. It’s a fabulous organic product which I use to lower soil pH for plants like my blue hydrangeas and my rhododendrons, azalea, and pieris. It’s very effective and allows acid-loving plants like these to properly access and utilize nutrients from fertilizing products. Order it here, from Amazon, by clicking the #advertisement link.
Luster Leaf Rapitest 4-way Soil Analyzer. I bought this Luster Leaf Rapitest 4-way soil analysis meter in February of 2022 and have used it successfully time and time again since then to test for soil fertility and pH levels. It also measures sunlight and soil moisture levels. It’s fast, easy to use, convenient, and accurate. By using this device, I’ve been able to determine the necessity of appropriate fertilizer applications and pH amending to the soil of a large number of the plants in my garden. This meter has helped make caring for my Siberian iris colony much easier for me. Order it here, directly from Amazon, by clicking the #advertisement link. Note that this unit doesn’t test for iron levels in soil. Also note that I really love this little meter!
Read More About Caring for Siberian Iris
Here’s a rudimentary quasi-bibliography for you. Click on any of the links to these excellent sources for more information about caring for Siberian iris plants.
That’s All, Folks!
Well, gang, I thought that this short tale of my heroically dogged – and admittedly lucky – little Siberian irises was sort of heartening. Both they and I have worked hard to keep the love going. And I do love these special little plants. I’m happy to do whatever it takes to keep them happy. So, you see? Happiness all around. I told you I thought this little piece was heartening!
As always, my dear readers and subscribers, I thank you for your kind interest and readership.
Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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So touching, and such a beautiful story…. Love is everything!
The picture of the Siberian irises is also very beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this loving story, made my eyes tear 🙏🌸❤️
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Roxxy. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this little piece. Yes, planting those little irises in that unyielding and unforgiving ground was definitely a labor of love. I never would’ve tried it otherwise. Thank you again, Roxxy!
The story of your Siberian irises is as beautiful as the plants themselves. I know it made Dee Dee very happy to see them growing around the mailbox that her father had made for her. The picture of them growing there put a smile on my face, too.
Thank you so much, Kevin. I appreciate your reading this piece, and I thank you for your kind thoughts and comments. It was definitely a job-and-a-half getting them planted in that rocky ground, but, all in all, I’m pleased that I was able to accomplish it, and I’m glad that Dee Dee was happy with the finished product. This was a big one for me, and it turned out alright, I think. Thanks again, Kevin.
Wonderful heartwarming story. Love conquers all.
Thank you, Rick. I’m happy you liked this piece, and I appreciate your reading it and commenting. This little patch of irises brings back a lot of memories for me, and I’m so glad to see that they’re all blooming. Of course, I do believe you’re right – love does conquer all. Thanks once again.