Lux Et Veritas Academy Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 I have bearded iris in my yard. I would love more of certain colors, do I need to be splitting them to make more. I know this seems obvious, but I am afraid of killing them... Give me an iris lesson! PLEASE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chai Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Dividing your iris helps them grow better. They are actually really hard to kill. I've done it, but can't explain it as well as this link which shows you how to do it in great detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Here you go: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1996/6-28-1996/divirises.html When I divided mine (My mom just brought me some a couple weeks ago.) I just pulled apart the ones that obviously had already separated. I don't know if they're the same kind or not either. I didn't cut them. I hadn't read this article though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Dig and divide in the fall, not now! In early fall, dig up the clump, remove any diseased or wonky looking rhizoms, break the remaining ones into managable clumps and replant. In general, bearded iris like soil that is on the poor, dry side of things. When you replant, let the tops of the rhizoms show a bit...like they are floating just barely underneath the surface of the soil. Water, then take care to not over water the rest of their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Most people I know who have iris are happy to share. So if you see a color you like in someone else's yard, you may ask if you can swap some. I miss my iris but am reluctant to plant more because they can become quite noxious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Dig and divide in the fall, not now! You have received good advice here. I would just add that when to divide depends on where you live. Here in Montana (zone 4) it is a good idea to divide and replant in summer - after bloom. As a rule, we say 4th of July. This gives the plant time to reestablish before winter. Also, I've had better luck by burying the entire rhizome. This saves them from the wind and irrigation until they're rooted. and I know that Established plants will naturally push themselves up to their preferred level. Where we live many times a summer you can find a box by someone's mailbox full of iris saying FREE. Anytime someone says "I love your iris" I make them take some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 I have bearded iris in my yard. I would love more of certain colors, do I need to be splitting them to make more. I know this seems obvious, but I am afraid of killing them... Give me an iris lesson! PLEASE Iris are just about the easiest thing I know of to grow. When we moved in here, the entire flower bed was covered with irises. I went through and took out about half of them and they are back to almost covering the bed. Just break the roots apart and plant them in their own place. Water and sun seems to be about all they need here! Oh, but wait til it's cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 You have received good advice here. I would just add that when to divide depends on where you live. Here in Montana (zone 4) it is a good idea to divide and replant in summer - after bloom. As a rule, we say 4th of July. This gives the plant time to reestablish before winter. Also, I've had better luck by burying the entire rhizome. This saves them from the wind and irrigation until they're rooted. and I know that Established plants will naturally push themselves up to their preferred level. Where we live many times a summer you can find a box by someone's mailbox full of iris saying FREE. Anytime someone says "I love your iris" I make them take some. Fall starts about 4th of July in Montana, right? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Well actually. . . you can't go by that. Saturday we were having snow & got a call anyway from ds's bball coach. "We are having a game, it's sunny" Fall starts about 4th of July in Montana, right? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Well actually. . . you can't go by that. Saturday we were having snow & got a call anyway from ds's bball coach. "We are having a game, it's sunny" Ugh...snow. Snow in the summer is why I live in Texas. :D :D :D I have a niece in Montana and I'm always amazed at the weather 'reports' on her blog. It makes me cold just thinking about it. And to get back on topic...Color me amazed that bearded iris survive your winters and our summer heat. Very few plants can truly do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux Et Veritas Academy Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 So according to all of this great advice.....transplanted iris bloom sparsely the next year, but do great the 2nd and 3rd year. So do you all usually just do a couple of clumps each year, so you continue to have color and not wipe out the whole show every couple of years....comprehendo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 So according to all of this great advice.....transplanted iris bloom sparsely the next year, but do great the 2nd and 3rd year. So do you all usually just do a couple of clumps each year, so you continue to have color and not wipe out the whole show every couple of years....comprehendo? Here is what is happening. Each rhizome is one plant. The second established year it is 3 plants minus the mother plant, so 2 producing plants. The third year it is 7 plants minus the mother (now grandmother, I guess:))and the 2 mothers (sounds like a soap opera)) so 4 producing plants. When a "plant" (really the producing section of a rhizome) blooms, that section is no longer a bloom producer. When you divide iris, always pitch the sections with the bloom stems attached. This seems backwards to me. I always like to save the big healthy parts when I divide perennials. With iris, it's opposite. Keep the medium and little baby pieces, make sure they have at least one good root coming out the bottom. If you make the mistake I did, get rid of the little ones in a give-away and plant the big ones: well, your neighbors have nice, beautiful flowers and you have pretty foliage. The next year you will have 2 producers per clump. If you transplant early enough after bloom (not too soon), you may have flowers the next year. But unless you plant very densely and separate more often, you will have fewer blooms after dividing. Another pointer that may be in the article you read, but I didn't know is that iris always move in the same direction. New plants grow out the "back" or "thick" or "non-cut" side of the rhizome you plant. Probably way too much information, but some I wish I didn't learn by experience. Good luck - I love iris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.