What to do with all the extra rhizomes?

If one is diligent about dividing and replanting, you get a whole lot of the same iris. I hate to throw them out, and it seems like too much trouble to find someone who wants them. I guess these are the only 2 options, other than digging up new beds every year to accomodate all the extras?

I have to many people standing in line to ever throw out any thing you know daughters neices friends ;0) just say in a crowded room that your going to dig stuff up see what happens its fun ;0)
Gloria

Churches, retirement centers or bucket out front saying free

D

or you could do like I did just put them out side fo the Eagels club in a box zippp there gone ;0)
Gloria

I have no trouble finding homes for my extra iris rhizomes, both here in my own town and among my friends on Dave's Garden. And I might add, many of my friends on Dave's Garden have given me extras of their rhizomes. It is a lot of fun. I have definitely turned one local friend into an iris addict. Even her husband has ended up enjoying. He made a powerpoint presentation of her iris -- just for her.

This year my Queen's Circle was so impressive I had many ask for my extras. Next year when I divide a lot of requests will be filled. Those who shared with me will be the first to get those extras.

Close up.

The box or bucket out on the sidewalk with a FREE sign always works for me. I put a daylily out there the other day and it was gone when I looked about 10 minutes later! And I like to think that it helps the neighbors out during these tough times when they might otherwise not be adding to their gardens.

I advertise in the newspaper for like 2 or 3 dollars and sell them.
I advertised for 1 dollar and sold 120 last month.
so that was an easy $120!

my ad was free, it was priced under $50....

Wow, FrillyLily. That is a terrific idea. I don't usually have any left over, though, after I give my friends one each and do a couple of trades on Dave's Garden.

I had a plant sale last fall and will again. Sold every plant that I had dug. BEV

You just gave me an idea - I can put an ad in the local paper (giveaways are free) with my phone number, something like "extra plants to share: iris (now), dahlias, rhubarb....." and then if someone is interested, I can tell them where I live and they can pick them up. The sidewalk idea is a good one but we live in the country.

Or you can trade, or sell them by the box full.

I donate mine to my local AIS club who sells them at a fall sale. It helps the club and I know my extras are going to people who want them!

Our iris club has a sale every other yr. this was the show yr. & it was late enough to sell dwarfs bareroot & potted beardless.

Yes, mine go to our AIS club as well. We support our club on this so our dues are minimal.

After our rhizome sale and club auction, we generally have a lot of leftovers. I have hauled a box full to work several times. They go pretty fast. I just hate to throw them away.

We usually take the leftovers from our club sale to an assisted living home and plant them or give them to someone who is planting a garden at such a place. Sometimes we save them and plant them and sell them as plants at our spring Iris Show.

That's a good idea - they could be planted closer together now if they were going to be potted up and sold in the spring.

It works reasonably well for us, but very well for the Albuquerque iris society.

If there are rhizomes left after the sale, members divvy them up and take them home to plant them in pots. We take care of them all winter and bring them to our show in May to sell. This past May, our club made over $1000 selling the pots! The public came to see the flowers and then stopped and bought the plant on the way out. It's turned into a great supplement for our club.

We have tried to do that, but need to place our iris sale a bit more strategically, I guess. We only made about $50 on the plant sales, I think. Of course we didn't have that many either.

I first planted my own iris when I was 18--I only planted 6 noid purple ones about 4 ft apart with clumps of lavender in between. By the time I divided 2 or 3 years later each clump was the circumference of a truck tire. At the end of that long day of digging, prying, using leverage and cutting apart I had 12 or more large paper grocery bags of iris to give away. Every neighbor wanted some so luckily most were snapped up. I did give some away at the used book store I worked at--took some photos to show them the blooms:)
I'd definitely buy some from a DG member and pay postage:lol: Ever the addiction supporter:lol:

Iris addiction is the best kind. I haven't heard of any iris dealers having shoot outs in Salem, Oregon or building submarines to sneak their products into foreign countries. As thinks go, iris are a rather harmless addiction. All they do is make things pretty.

As the EU is now making iris imports more difficult I bet some of the British Iris Society people would like to use submarines--they are furious at the changes.

Yes -- and New Zealanders are in the same boat and Australia and the US may soon follow. It is pretty sad that we can't import and export iris easily. I get it about trees and farm crops, but iris? And roses? Sad.

That's sad--I suppose it's due to worry about insects, plant diseases and invasives. I guess all are possibilities but I'm sure there will be a bundle made from having to obtain phyto certificates and permits should that happen.

I have helped support two clubs for over 4 years! I take at least a 100 plants to each sale! I run classified adds when they are blooming and take orders. Since I'm semi-retired it helps pay for my addiction!!LOL pic Chocolate Moose

Another good idea Nicky. I can't even support one Iris Club, but I can contribute.

To give you an idea of what I must go thru to be allowed to ship to the EU. I must be inspected 3 times 3 weeks apart PRIOR to shipping. I must have soil testing (my expense) done yearly.

I must first clean in clear water, then soak and clean in bleach water for 20 minutes or more, then in Safer Soap or similar.

Call the ag inspector have her inspect the order write a phyto but she must know in advance to which countries I am shipping to as each have a different attachment we must list how long soaked, with what and when.

Italy now must have import permits and it is getting harder, France is almost impossible. Canada because Customs sit on imports and do not know what to do with them once they finally open the box, they might not get their orders for 2 to 6 weeks.

We now are no longer replacing the iris if it the problem of customs for any reasons as I have yet had one come back because of improper paper work, which is many as it must be inside and outside the box as well.

D

It's amazing what goes on behind the scenes in any industry--I'm sure there are people that figure how hard is it to toss some plants in a box and mail it out--I couldn't imagine having to do all that! I feel under pressure just mailing a few rhizomes to someone in a swap:lol:

I agree, dmac. It sounds very burdensome to ship internationally and is becoming more so all the time. I appreciate people like Dee and Barry Blyth who will still do it. Lots will not.

Truly more growers are saying WHY to overseas...it is a pain, but I have some super customers that as long as I can I will ship.

Some growers in other states do not have it like we do. Our ag inspector comes to our house, while others you must travel to them and sometimes it is quite a far piece like over 100 miles each way.

D

Ag inspector was here last week, for shipments to Canada for convention to you reccommedt doing it directly or the stop over in OR system? Just have a couple MTBs to go, think I will send seedlings to MO & OK conventions.

I personally am sending direct to Aitkens as they will then come down and WALK then across and that I trust. Last shipment to Canada took from teh 11th to the 26th

D

Ok I will contact them, thanks L

Thanks you all for sending rhizomes to Canada in spite of the problems. I hope to go see them there. Lovely of Aitkens to walk them across. Iris growers are the best!

Dmac, I too was unsure about packing and shipping iris in trades. But, I think I have it figured out since I did it the first time. I asked that the person that wanted to swap, to send their swap to me first, and then I would use the box and packing materials to ship back to them. I think I will add that a self addressed return label would be appreciated too. Since we live so far from any city or P.O., we find it hard to mail them out quickly. We really do need to dig our plants in a couple of weeks. Red At Night seemed to be very popular, but now I can't remember who wanted to trade. ^_^ Woe is me....