overwintering japanese iris

I have one in my pond on the ledge. Should I leave it there, or sink it under the water where it won't freeze or ?
I have never had one before and I just know I am going to kill it.
:(

What zone are you?

Image she is zone 5 or 6 and if it were me I would remove out of the pond and overwinter in a protected area where the crown will not freeze

D

Agreed. If she is a 7, I would keep it in the pond. If lower than that, take it out of the pond, and sink it in the ground, pot and all.

With the crazy winters we have been having, I would remove it from the pond and dig a deep hole and sink the pot to the rim, backfill and mulch the top of the pot.

oh, I'm in MO, so it gets freezing here.
I guess that means I can't put it down IN the pond under the water w my pond lilies?
I would need to bury it in soil?
When you say pot and all, how deep? I am assuming I wouldn't bury the 'crown' of the plant, where the leaves start? Or it would rot?
Mittsy that is a beautiful one there. I have Lion King. Bought it on my 15th anniversary, this summer.

In this area (zones 5 & 6) we are told not to leave JI in water over the winter.

I too am in zone 7 and if the pond freezes which it does often on the surface I would loose the JI so I put mine in the unheated greenhouse

D

Bury it right up to the rim of the pot. That should be all the protection it needs, although putting leaves over it won't hurt.

Or if you have an unheated greenhouse, as Dee says.

Don't leave it in the pond.

so if you put it in the green house does it need watered, or do you just let it sit til spring?
Wonder if I could just set it on my porch in a pot? and toss some water on it every couple weeks?
I could bury it, but I'd have to find a place I guess.
I will do it tomorrow supoosed to be 48 I think.

You're really better off putting the pot down in the soil. Then you won't have to worry about the water.

ok, will do it tomorrow. So can these iris live outside of the water, or do they have to be in a pond? I can't imagine getting several of these and having to dig them up and bury them every spring and fall. Not something I would want too many of.

JI do perfectly well in normal garden soil if it isn't too dry. They are planted so here. Do you have clay? That might make a difference.

Yes we have clay soil here. I have to amend it to grow most things. I would think the heavier soil would stay more moist like the JI like. OTOH the clay soil could lead to rotting?
Could plant them closer to the house so they would be easier to water.

It's hard to make them rot. I have over 300 varieties and none are in a pond, all in garden or sales beds. I give them a little extra water. Mulching them well is important.

so is it ok to plant them in clayish soil, or does it need to drain better than that?
I will just plant them and leave them if they don't need to be in a pond like I thought.

Yes, clay soil is fine. The only thing you don't want is to have the crown in standing water over winter. It freezes and smothers the crown.

ok, the iris is planted! I shall see what happens to it next spring. I read somewhere that they like acidic soil though, I doubt mine acidic at all. Will I need to do something to it later to change that?
On another site, a guy said he grew his in a pond w straight peat moss. I didn't 'use' anything as it was potted already when I bought it this summer.

The iris won't just croak if the soil is not acidic enough. If it's not acidic enough you will see a gradual yellowing of the leaves, and then you could apply some soil acidifier. But JIs like neutral soil, too. Most people have neutral to slightly acidic to begin with.

I would mulch it, though. Pine needles, if you have them, or any mulch, if not.

I was about to post simular question. For the last 2 yrs,I've been filling in my koi pond that crack due to oak tree roots. I left the valve at the bottom of pond open but covered with big nursery pot and screen so soil wouldn't fill in valve and drainage pipe. It will be ready to plant next spring. I've been watching it to see how it drains after heavy rains and it takes about 3 days for it to drain. I'm in zone 8,we get some winter freezes and have had in passed sub-zero and extended ice storms...12 days being the longest. Can I plant my JI directly into pond or should I plant the pots?

P

I would sink the pots for the winter in soil. I think most years you would probably be OK, but when you have sub zero for 12 days, that might do them in.

We never get down below zero any more. I'm surprised you do. Maybe you better move north, LOl.

Last winter we got 10 below, usually not that cold, but once in a while.
For several days too. :(

Good grief, you guys! Move north! That shouldn't be happening.

I cannot remember the last time we were below zero. Years. Of course we get between 200 and 300 inches of snow a year.

Let's see..... a couple of days below zero.......flowers blooming by March

OR

200 to 300 inches of snow each winter

Wonder which one most Southerners would pick.......

Oh, c'mon Neal, where's your sporting blood?

I don't know about Neil's, but my sporting blood disappeared years ago. My wife and I are now in Maui until March when the SDB's will be starting to bloom late in the month in Gilbertsville.

Now that's truly not fair. We got 18 inches today.

But, oh well, enjoy Hawaii! Stinker, LOL.

My orchids are starting to bloom, in the living room, brought all plants in last night as it got down to 28 degrees here in Cocoa Beach Florida. But thank God, no snow to shovel.

it's a rare occassion when we get sub-zero but it's been known to happen. Last year we had a week of teen tempts that wiped out all my deep Texas plants that were in pots outside of the greenhouse.

I remember Evey----Blissfulgardens in Louisiana losing a lot of the plants she had for many years. Those tropical ones that look like birds. She had had them for many years. I guess times are changing.

Actually, Polly, I love snow. Used to live down a gravel road in central Pennsylvania that rarely got plowed except for my car pushing through it. But I also like for the snow to end by late February. When does yours end up there? May?

No, we're usually done by the end of March. April can get a freak snowstorm, but usually April is nice here. So December thru March. We have pretty mild winters, but we're in the snowbelt from Lake Ontario.

And it's funny, that most years we get snow before a ground freeze. Then the snow insulates the ground, and it never does freeze, all except the top inch. This year is one of them. My irises grow all winter long under the snow. And since I have so many new to me ones to look forward to next year :)

But the area up north that used to be my work territory, into the Adirondacks, and the Tug Hill plateau snow starts in October and ends in May. So only about 4 months with no snow. But people love it, or they wouldn't live there.

Well I guess I'll never move up north as I just can't take the cold. I love seeing the snow covered mountains and trees, but my body can't take it for any length of time. I'd like to visit a few places with snow for a few days and then come home to the East Texas heat wave. LOL If it's below 60 I'm Freezing. Oh and Dennis it must be nice for you and your wife to be in Maui until March.I'd call that an extended vacation. LOL I've never been to the islands. If I recall you do alot of traveling to exotic places anyway. I'm so jealous, last major trip I had was to Europe 7 years ago. (frown)
Oh well you'll enjoy all your SDB;s when you get back to Gilbertsville.
Merry Christmas and God Bless YOu and YOurs,
Marian

How much snow ya'got, Polly?

Ha, almost none. The rain came and washed it all away. But now it's starting again.

How warm are you Neil?

9 degrees and an inch or two of snow....... and an ice storm headed this way tomorrow........something's not right when TN has worse weather than NY (former Niagara Falls boy here)

He, he.You can have it. I hate ice storms. Former Nashville girl, here. Loved the spring, fall and winter. Hated the summers.

But, I know, I know, it won't stay that cold in Nashville, and here it will until March.

pretty cold here in Cocoa Beach. Been wearing socks! Also wool winter coat from my NY winters. Had my neck scarf
wrapped around my head to keep the icy wind off the ocean from giving me an earache. Friend said isn't that a picture. Told her I didn't care, I wanted to be protected from the chill! She had just finished knitting a hat to order, and I noticed "she" was wearing that hat. The up side is all the lovely soups and stews, shepherd's pie and chili. Also the hot tea and hot cocoa with cookies, cookies, everywhere!

Mittsy. I love that JI picture . Is it Frilled Enchantment?

Yes it is.