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Iris and Hyacinth In Pots - Will they flower again next year?

CatDouchCatDouch Posts: 488
in Plants
Hi everyone

My iris and hyacinth’s outside in pots are now past their best (dead 😂) can you treat them the same as daffodils and leave them in their pots where they will flower again next year? I’ve had great success with daffodils which come back every year but didn’t know if iris and hyacinth would do the same.
South Devon 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2022
    The little Iris tend to fade away year after year … they’ll do 2 or 3 at the most. You can try feeding them now and they’re worth keeping for at least one more year. 
    Hyacinths are never as good again but I plant them into spring borders and they ‘sort of naturalise’ … never such a big flower spike but pretty all the same. Give them some feed about now then plant out and let them die down. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Agree the little Reticulata Iris like to grow tiny bulbils after flowering. This seems to affect the next years flowers. Feeding is the best bet. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The dwarf iris last a bit better if they're planted deep so perhaps find a space in the ground for them. I have some hyacinths in big tubs by my front door that are on their second year and they haven't declined much but I think they'll be going in the ground when they're over and I'll get new ones for planting in the tubs in the autumn.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I do,most of my spring bulbs are in pots. They get put out of the way once they've flowered and given a feed, nothing fancy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited April 2022
    The hyacinths will be fine, but the little irises are iffy. They tend to diminish. 
    I've had hyacinths in pots for a few years, and they're just as good as the ones I planted. Definitely feed as they die back to help them. Might depend on conditions too.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • CatDouchCatDouch Posts: 488
    Thanks to everyone for your advice 😊 I’ll give them a feed, tuck them away and fingers crossed they’ll flower next year.
    South Devon 
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Agree with @Dovefromabove about the hyacinths. I plant them out and each year they come up and are showing really well this year. The flowers are larger but more spaced on the stem but the fragrance is lovely. Pollinators love them as well.
  • WoodgreenWoodgreen Posts: 1,273
    This year I have planted out dwarf iris in the orchard, very deeply. It's an experiment, and a wet spring would probably see the slugs demolish them, but here's hoping. If there are any to count next year I'll report back (and if there aren't!)
    Results from planting among herbaceous perennials have been disappointing, I suspect because the remains of plants are good hiding places for overwintering slugs.
    For the price of a couple of packs each year it's well worth it to see every bulb in the pots flowering nicely I think.

    Agree about hyacinths, they keep coming back each year in the ground.
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