Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs

Size

Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs create a varied late-spring display of purple, blue, yellow, white, and rust flowers on slender 20- to 22-inch stems. The blooms have a graceful appearance with upright standards, drooping falls, and yellow markings on many flowers. Narrow green foliage keeps the planting neat through the flowering season. Each package includes 20 bulbs sized about 8 cm, giving you enough for a concentrated drift or several smaller groupings.Iris hollandica develops from bulbs and is hardy in USDA zones 5-9, returning reliably and slowly multiplying in well-drained soil. The flowers appear from late spring into early summer, and the straight stems are great for fresh arrangements. Use the bulbs between later-emerging perennials, along narrow paths, in rock gardens, or through mixed beds where their upright form takes little ground space. Deer typically avoid Dutch iris.Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs CarePlant Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs in fall after the soil has cooled but before it freezes, placing the bulbs about 4 to 5 inches deep with the pointed end facing upward. Full sun is ideal, though partial shade is suitable where plants still receive several hours of direct light. A loose, well-drained loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH near 6.0 to 7.0 is a good fit, and heavy clay should be lightened with organic matter or coarse material before planting.After planting, give the bed one thorough soaking so soil settles closely around the bulbs. Through spring, keep the root zone lightly and consistently moist while leaves, stems, and buds are developing, then let conditions become drier once the foliage begins to fade. Feed with a balanced or low-nitrogen granular bulb fertilizer as shoots emerge, following the package rate.Cut flower stems for bouquets when the buds are beginning to open and leave the remaining foliage on the plant. Spent flowers can be removed after bloom, but the grasslike leaves should stay in place until they yellow and decline on their own. Once dormant, established bulbs generally need little attention beyond avoiding prolonged summer saturation. In colder parts of its range, a 2-inch mulch layer applied after the ground cools can help buffer repeated temperature swings.Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs SpacingSpace bulbs about 3 to 4 inches apart, placing 8-10 together for a fuller patch of mixed color. For containers, use a pot at least 8 to 10 inches deep with drainage holes and a free-draining potting mix. Water regularly during active spring growth, then reduce irrigation as the leaves begin to yellow. In colder climates, shelter containers in an unheated garage, shed, or similarly protected spot through winter.Dutch Iris Beauty Mixture Bulbs Companion PlantsIce plants make nice companions in sunny, sharply drained beds because their low growth stays beneath the iris stems and continues through the warmer part of the season. Juniper bushes also pair well in sunny, permanent beds, providing evergreen structure around a spring bulb planting. Lantana works well in larger patio containers, taking over the summer display after the Dutch iris flowers finish and the bulbs begin to rest.