How Deep Do You Plant Iris Bulbs? - DutchGrown™

Skip to content

PRE ORDER YOUR FAVORITES | 15% OFF WITH DISCOUNT CODE: EARLYBIRD26

Product added

Close Continue shopping How Deep do you Plant Iris Bulbs?

Named for the goddess of the rainbow, irises deck the garden with color in spring and early summer. You may be wondering how deep do you plant iris bulbs for the best display?

How Do You Plant Dwarf Irises?

Dwarf irises or iris reticulata are one of the earliest spring bulbs to bloom and are ideal for naturalizing, spreading a carpet of blue under trees and shrubs. How deep do you plant them in the fall? Plant these petite beauties about 3” - 4” deep, just below the soil surface, water them well, and they will bloom in early spring. Group 6 dwarf iris bulbs per square foot for the best effect.

How Deep Do You Plant Iris Bulbs?

Graceful Dutch Iris bulbs are a favorite in spring bouquets and are available in gorgeous shades of royal blue, lilac, bronze, red and yellow. If you're wondering how deep do you plant iris bulbs, treat them in the same way as tulips; choose a sunny site with well-drained soil for the best display and plant the bulbs from September through December before it freezes.

But how deep do you plant iris bulbs exactly? Plant the bulbs in holes 4” deep and 2” - 4” apart; for larger groups, dig out a trench, position the bulbs, then replace the soil and water them well.

How Deep Do You Plant Bearded Iris Bulbs?

The spectacular bearded iris grows from a rhizome, a lumpy looking mass of root that likes to sit right on the surface of the soil. So that is how deep you should plant bearded iris bulbs. The rhizomes should be planted in late summer in a well-drained, sunny spot. Plant with the tops showing and water them in to help the roots start to grow. Bearded irises spread easily, forming large clumps that need splitting after a few years to encourage more blooms. After flowering, cut back the leaves to a few inches, dig up the mass of rhizomes and split them with a knife. Replant the sections with the tops showing.

Whether as cut flowers or beautifying a bed, border or container, you’ll love the glowing color that Dutch irises bring to your spring garden. DutchGrown iris bulbs are excellent value for money; order in advance for delivery from September onwards.

Meet Ben, our Flower Bulb Specialist

Gardening challenges?

Send me your questions! or read more about me.

• How-to Guides
• Bulb News
• Planting Tips
• Featured Varieties
• Garden Design
• Bulb Info

Search our store

• All Flower Bulbs
• All Spring Planted Bulbs
• Alliums
• Alocasia
• Amarine
• Amaryllis
• Amaryllis Belladonna
• Anemones
• Arisaema
• Artichoke Thistle
• Astilbe
• Astrantia
• Baby's Breath
• Bearded Iris
• Begonias
• Bleeding Hearts
• Calla Lilies
• Camassia
• Cardoon
• Chionodoxa
• Columbine
• Coneflower
• Convallaria
• Crocus
• Daffodils
• Dahlias
• Day Lily
• Delphiniums
• Dicentra
• Dichelostemma
• Echinacea
• Elephant Ears
• Eranthis
• Eremurus
• Eucomis
• Foxtail Lilies
• Fritillaria
• Galanthus
• Geranium
• Geum
• Giant Snowflake
• Gladiolus
• Glory of the Snow
• Gloxinia
• Grape Hyacinths
• Gypsophila
• Hellebores
• Hostas
• Hyacinthoides
• Hyacinths
• Incarvillea
• Irises
• Italian Anemones
• Italian Ranunculus
• Ixia
• Larkspurs
• Leucojum
• Lilies
• Lily of the Valley
• Masterwort
• Mixture
• Monarda
• Muscari
• Nerine
• Oriental Poppy
• Ornithogalum
• Oxalis
• Papaver
• Paperwhites
• peonies
• Phlox
• Pulmonaria
• Puschkinia
• Ranunculus
• Red Hot Poker
• Saffron Crocus
• Scilla
• Sedum
• Shamrock
• Siberian Iris
• Siberian Squill
• Snowdrops
• Spanish Bluebells
• Striped Squill
• Swamp Milkweed
• Tricyrtis (Toad Lily)
• Tuberoses
• Tulips
• Winter Aconite
• Zantedeschia

Show more Show less