The bloom is almost over. Maybe 50 cultivars still have a decent bloom left. The Louisiana iris have more blooms but even they are about done. There are a number of pots left and they are on sale 3 for $10 or $3 for 10 or more. Pots can be unpotted and shipped now. There is a fee for unpotting and shipping but excellent values are available.
 
The garden phone number is (916) 933-2218 but that number does not have an answering machine yet. Please call the house number (916) 933-3804 to leave a message.
 
The Iris Catalog section of this site does not work yet. I had to get the printed TB catalog ready first and then I can convert that to the website catalog. I can email either the descriptive TB catalog or just the TB price list if that is wanted. I also have separate lists of the medians, Louisianas, Siberians and arilbreds that can be emailed.
 
The photos are from previous years but are not accurate for right now. They will be updated May 8 if I can remember how. The first photo shows what I call the "Hilltop" area. The Hilltop has the pots and all of the newer cultivars. The second photo shows what I call the "Hillside" area. The third photo is the pot area. The fourth photo shows why the garden is named the Beautiful View Iris Garden.
 
To do now
 
Now is the time to start removing the spent stalks. Stalks can generally be snapped off by bending the stalk back over the top of the rhizome. Aphids were just starting to be a problem before the two heat waves started. Aphids should not be a problem now because they cannot handle the heat.
 
Weed control is ongoing. Use whatever weeding techniques you are comfortable with. If you use Roundup, be very careful not to get either spray or drift on the iris leaves. I carry a laundry spray bottle with me so I can rinse off a leaf if I accidentally spray a leaf. If you use Roundup before bloom time, expect to have some deformed blooms. In the mid extreme case of Roundup damage, the bloom looks more like a Dutch iris. With care, the rhizome itself will not be effected by a small amount of drift.
 
If you did not fertilize before bloom then do so after bloom. Testing the soil is the best procedure to determine what fertilizer to use. Several years ago I tested the soil. A soil test with recommendations was only $29.80. Email me if you want more information about soil testing. The tests last year showed that more nitrogen was needed but less phosphorus. After using the balanced fertilizer for several years, I have now changed my fertilizer to 21-7-14. The soil test includes lots of information like organic content, pH, and the major micronutrients. Without testing, for northern California gardens, use a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 or if you have been using a balanced fertilizer for several years, use the equivalent of 20-10-0.
 
If you notice a nasty smell and/or mushy rhizomes in the iris beds, it is bacterial soft rot. The mushy part can be scraped away and the exposed surface treated with household cleanser with bleach, diluted bleach, sulfur or antibacterial liquid hand soap. There is a antibiotic agricultural streptomycin that can also be used. If the rhizome was dug up, let it dry out for a couple of days and then it can be replanted.