I've increased my success historically by covering them with styrofoam panels e.g., 16 x 48 from Home Depot andanchoringt theminplace with bricks. Putting them over the plants (covered with coarse sand) about the time of the first heavy snow. It reduces the wetness during the winter. I takek off the styrofoam about April 4, and give them a shot of 10-10-10 fertilizer then. Good Luck ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adam Fikso" <adam14113@ameritech.net> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 5:18 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] Iris dardanus > Bob. re Dardanus in this area. Plant in the grittiest fastest-draining > soil you have with no more than 2% humus. Fertilize only wtih liquid > fertilizer, low nitrogen. Check further at the Aril Society's website. A > raised bed is in order or a slope. You can use peat in the top 6 inches > as Henry Danielson used to-- who was very successful with them.Be sure to > pprotect against iris borer along about April 6. Regards, Adam > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Robert Hoel" <bob.hoel@comcast.net> > To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 2:56 PM > Subject: [pbs] Iris dardanus > > >>I have purchased some "bulbs" of Iris dardanus thinking that they were >>like other Dutch Iris that I have planted. When I opened the brown paper >>bag they came in I realized that these resemble more of a typical bearded >>Iris rhizome, which I would plant nearly on the surface. Can someone tell >>me how these should be planted? On the surface or not? If not, how deep? >>I assume the rhizome should be planted horizontal to the surface like a >>bearded iris. The packaging said full or partial sun. What I have since >>read suggests the more sun the better and that they like to bake in the >>summer sun. >> >> Cultivation pointers appreciated. >> >> Bob Hoel >> Chicago area >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >