Iris bulbs won't bloom. They look great but no flowers. What can I do?

My bet is they are planted too deep. Raise the rhizome so it is slightly above the soil and make sure the soil is well drained.

Iris bulbs won't bloom. They look great but no flowers. What can I do?
I'd be willing to bet that you have the bulbs planted near a lawn, and they're getting a fair amount of lawn fertilizer. If this is the case, then they're going to grow like crazy, but they're not going to bloom; they're too "happy" with all that great high-nitrogen food to feel the need to reproduce. I suggest moving them elsewhere; you can also dig them up, put them in pots that have fresh soil (either topsoil or potting soil), and then sink the pots into the ground. This will keep the lawn fertilizer where it belongs, and still allow you to have your irises in the garden.
Reply:May be crowded or not getting enough light. Dig them up when they are dormant and separate them.
Reply:wait a year , if the still won't bloom take the corms out of the ground keep them in a cool place and re plant them next season.or buy new plants and start fresh
Reply:The corms need to be exposed to the sun or they won't bloom--get the dirt off of the tops of them and next year they will bloom.
Reply:Bulbs ,(Dutch Iris , in April - early May) or Siberian Iris/Blue Flag/Yellow Flag ( I. siberica/I.discolor/I. pseudoacorus) that are just getting done ? If the latter , they probably need dividing . Could be too much shade , but they can take a fair amount of shade .



If the former , the bulbs could be too small , or your climate too cold . I 'd guess anything north of Z5b, is too cold . If you drew a line through central Pennsylvainia - westward , that'd probably be about it . In both cases , some bulb food ,( not bone meal - steamed , it's useless) now, in the fall , and when the snow melts in the spring , would help .



If it's Bearded Iris ( Iris germanica) or Japanese Iris (I. kaempferii) , they haven't bloomed yet , so just wait .