The Bearded Iris' are Ready for Their Close Up

I'm the kind of girl that loves to play in the dirt. I can't remember people names, but I can recall paint colors and plant names at the drop of a hat. I also move plants around like they are pieces of furniture....it used to drive my husband nuts, now he just grins and says "looks good". I don't profess to be a professional gardener. I learn as I go and love to try new things, like most of you. But gardening is one of my first loves.
A few years ago my mom gave me my first Bearded Iris plant for my birthday. Since then I have divided it three times and now I have Iris' scattered through out my backyard. Iris' do need to be divided every 3 years. A crowded Iris is a crabby Iris and they won't bloom if overcrowded
 *Tip: once you have divided and transplanted and Iris it takes one full year in its new home before it will bloom.....usually.
After a transition year my Iris' are ready for their close up.

This is the Blue Stuccoto variety of Bearded Iris. You can see my little Snowball bush
peaking through in the background. That little bush has grown from a transplanted
starter off our original Snow ball bush in the front yard. But that is a different
 post for another time.

This year I also found this awesome recipe, via pinterest, for homemade Bearded Iris fertilizer:

Bearded Iris Fertilizer
2 tbsp. molasses
3 cups water
Large pitcher
1 tsp. powdered seaweed ( I found dried seaweed on the Asian aisle and chopped it in the food processor)
1 tbsp. Epsom salts
Large watering can or empty gallon milk jug
1 gallon water

Step 1:
Pour 2 tbsp. of molasses, and 3 cups of water in a large pitcher. Stir until combined.
Step 2:
Add 1 tsp. of powdered seaweed, and 1 tbsp. of Epsom salts to your large pitcher. Stir until combined.
Step 3:
Transfer your concentrated homemade bearded iris fertilizer to a large watering can.
Step 4:
Add a gallon of water to the concentrated homemade bearded iris fertilizer and mix one final time.
Step 5:
Pour the fertilizer over in the soil around the bearded irises. Do this at night when the sun goes down so your bearded iris plants don't get sunburn.
Tips:
Repeat using the homemade fertilizer once each spring, when leaves begin to emerge on the plant.

You can add 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar only if your soil turns out to be alkaline. You will have to perform a soil test before you ad this to the homemade fertilizer.