Iris – Propagating with seed

Q: I have several beds of small purple iris. All the stalks have seed pods. They have dried up and there are several seeds in each one. I have about all the iris plants I can handle, but would like to share with others if plants will develop from the seed.

A: You can plant the iris seed now and have lots of offspring with a tiny bit of work. Collect the seed as the pods open. Fill several one-gallon plastic pots with a 1:1 mixture of potting soil and ground pine bark (Natures Helper(tm)). Fill the pots to within one inch of the rim. Scatter forty seed into each pot and cover with an inch of soil. Water thoroughly and place close to an outdoor faucet. Place a big mound of mulch around, and thinly over, the pots. Water every week in winter unless the soil is frozen. You will likely see young seedlings poking through the soil in March. Transplant to a “nurse bed” in April and anticipate blooms in a couple of years.