Bearded iris
Iris germanica
An ornamental plant, planted March to November.
In September: nothing to do. It can be planted now.
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Bearded iris, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown bearded iris. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant bearded iris rhizomes. | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
| Feed the bearded iris. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Deadhead the bearded iris. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual |
| Lift and divide the bearded iris. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown bearded iris March to November, 30cm apart. Strong sources: RHS and Sarah Raven.
Plant bearded iris rhizomes July to October, 3 to 5cm deep, 30cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Feed the bearded iris
Not hungry plants: spread rotted garden compost around them, not over the rhizomes.
Usually March. Strong source: RHS.
Deadhead the bearded iris
Usually June to August. Moderate source: Sarah Raven.
Lift and divide the bearded iris
Every 3 to 5 years, not every year.
Usually July to August. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Bearded iris” comes from.