I'd like a bit of think-through-to-execution-of a plan-help if I may ask.

I have a mixed bed that I am redoing. I have irises in this area as well as perennials, since it's closer to the foundation of the house we use wood chips as a finishing cover. Since these particular iris have had issues blooming and you all advised me in an earlier post it may be that I had the rhizomes planted too deep or covered by mulch so I need some ideas when I redo this bed to give the iris their best shot. I'm also planning to move the iris into better light since other perennials have grown so much since they were planted.

The other issue I have is sandy soil that tends to shift w/rain onto my rhizomes as the bed does have a downward slope. I will be amending this bed w finished compost mixed in to help the soil in general and try to slow the sand slide.

Is there someway I can still plant iris in the bed successfully and use wood chips near them without covering the rhizomes? Do I need to use other methods or covers or put some sort of barrier nearby?

TIA!

@ScarletTricycle Hi Tia,

1. I would recommend adding regular soil (organic/garden/potting) in new iris beds to help with your sandy soil.

2. If possible (You'll have to dig out all your perennials for this next option) add the organic soil, next make that sloped bed into a raised bed and then add a very thin layer of wood chips if you continue to have irises in there. ~ I also have a few mixed perennial beds (filled with daylilies and irises) and I haven't had a problem with a thin layer of mulch or grass clippings. Just make sure the grass clippings/wood chips aren't too thick and or close to the rhizomes or iris clumps. Evenly lay out your clippings/chips in your bed 4 inches away from each iris clump.

Thank you for that info. I'm in the process of thinking of tearing out and redoing so this may work. Thank you for taking the time to post!

Scarlet I had sandy soil and I used woodchip mulch and it worked just fine. I did water them a bit les because as the wood chips broke down they retained water better. I aimed to keep the rhizomes uncovered, eventually though most of them were at least partially under the mulch, they didn't seem fazed by it at all.