Q: We brought iris bulbs from our family home in Michigan to plant in our Georgia flower beds. They are presently in our garage. How, and when, should we plant them here? — Justin Kollmeyer, Fayette County
A: Unlike in Michigan, in Georgia the soil rarely — if ever — freezes so hard that you can’t plant. That said, the soil is a little chilly to suit irises now. When it warms up this spring, prepare a sunny bed by thoroughly spading the soil to a depth of 8 inches. If it’s our typical clay soil, you can add compost to improve drainage. Remove 3 inches of soil from the bed. Now you have 5 inches of loose soil onto which you can lay the iris roots.
Examine each of the roots that you brought. If any are rotten, soft or appear unhealthy, do not plant them. Use a paring knife to cut out the unhealthy parts. You may see vestigial roots or hard stem bumps that tell how to orient the roots. Place the roots about 10 inches apart and cover with the soil you previously removed.
Over the bed sprinkle slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote, Holly-tone, etc.) according to label directions. If the irises were growing strongly in Michigan, they should burst forth with color this spring. If not, they might take two years to have good flowering. Observe the flowers closely. If you see a tiny, typically yellow “beard” coming from the center of the flower, you have a bearded iris, the most common classification of this beautiful flower.
Q: Of late I have had several birds fly into my windows. Can you give me some insight into how I can correct this problem? — Bill King, email
A: Glass windows that reflect shrubs and trees around them look to a bird like good places to fly through. Then “bang!” you have a stunned bird which may seem to recover and fly away but might die later from brain injuries.
So how can you make windows not be reflective? There is a DIY solution called Acopian BirdSavers that uses thin paracord to make a barely noticeable curtain in front of windows. There are stickers and reflective items that can be applied to the outside window surface that also alert the bird to the glass surface. Remember, anything you do must be outside the window rather than inside. Consider your comfort on a ladder when you purchase materials. Most house painters, gutter repair people and window installers can do the project quickly if you should happen to know one in your neighborhood. Many similar solutions to prevent bird window strikes can be found online at abcbirds.org/glass-collisions.
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