Home
How to
Grow plants
How to plant winter iris bulbs

How to plant winter iris bulbs

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Tuesday, 22 October 2019 at 4:31 pm

Alan Titchmarsh explains how to plant dwarf winter-flowering iris in autumn, for flowers in late winter.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTo Doyes

Save

Dwarf winter flowering irises are perfect for growing in pots. The bulbs are easy to cultivate, and growing them in containers means their intricately marked flowers and delicate fragrance can be enjoyed more readily than when they are grown in the garden.

Plant up the pots in October and leave them outside until the leaf tips start to poke through the soil. Then bring them indoors to speed up the flowering process – you'll have blooms in the depths of winter.

Follow our guide to planting winter-flowering irises, below.

You Will Need

Iris reticulata
Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
Horticultural grit
Small pots
Plant labels

Step 1

Adding compost to the pots

Mix peat-free multi-purpose compost with grit and part-fill your pots.

Step 2

Planting iris bulbs in the pots

Space the bulbs so that they don't touch. They can be planted at the rate of six or seven bulbs to a 10cm pot, or rather more in wider pots or pans. Terracotta shows them off better than plastic pots.

Step 3

Covering the iris bulbs with compost

Cover with 5cm of compost and lightly firm it around the bulbs. In order to prevent mud splashing, and to display the flowers to the best effect, a 1cm layer of sharp grit should be added on top.

Step 4

Covering the compost with grit

Label each pot with its individual variety. That way you can be sure of knowing exactly what you are looking at when the plants are in flower, and confident when ordering more of your favourites.

iris-reticulata-katharine-hodgkin-5

Alan's top five early irises

Katharine Hodgkin – intricate patterns of white, yellow and blue
J. S Dijt – rich purple with yellow and white on the throat
Iris danfordiae – yellow and brown; opens more fully under cover
'Cantab' – lovely light blue shade, marked with yellow and white
'Alida' – generous blue blooms with yellow and white markings

The perfect gift for gardeners

Gift 12 months of Gardeners’ World magazine, and Niwaki Sentei Secateurs, to a loved one. Enjoy year-round expert tips for a thriving garden.

Gift a subscription today

Great gardening savings - straight to your inbox

Sign up to the BBC Gardeners’ World offers newsletter for exclusive deals, seasonal savings, and early access to special promotions.