Planting Irises

Moved from Perennial's Forum as I just found out about our new Iris Forum!

I cleaned out my dad's iris bed in mid july and with everything going on, I have not had a chance to get what I took from his garden planted. They are still sitting in my garage. And now I've tweaked my back (I herniated a disk a couple years ago) and am afraid to do any gardening (I have to dig a bed and amend the soil for these) until it heals again. Will these survive to plant next year? If so, how do I store them? If not, can I plant them later in the fall (like late September, early October) and still have them root well? Thanks for any advise.

LimeyLisa Kay

You could plant them in pots-the ones I have planted in pots look great & flower just the same as the ones,I have planted in the ground-& when you are feeling better,you could plant them in the ground.I hope you feel better real soon.

i would say yes you can plant them in late sep-oct and hope for a mild fall! ;) those are the months that iris are transplanted! The sooner the better!
Hope your back gets better fast!

I don't know when first frost usually is for your area, but I'd get them in some dirt so they can start getting ready for winter by the first half of September. If you put them in pots or planters (or an old tub or whatever) they can start making roots. If you can plant them out in late September or early October, so much the better. If not, at least they should survive in pots. That would surely be better than losing them all if things don't go as well as you hope.

How may rhizomes are we talking about?

Cheri'

We are looking at about 8 walmart sized bags full. Lots and Lots! ;~D I don't have the pots to put them in. I am hoping my back will be healed here in a couple of weeks. I've just done a great deal of digging this summer and it has gotten ouchy.

LimeyLisa Kay

OMG! There ain't enough pots in the world! LOL! You'd need tubs, lots of old tubs.

Doesn't anyone know how to store iris rhizomes? I can't find any information on the topic.

I do hope your back gets better, and not just for the sake of the iris rhizomes. :)

Cheri'

My mom has dug up and not replanted til spring on several occasions. Make sure they are dry, trim down the leaves to barely nothing, and make sure all of the roots you have are nice and firm, throw out any "squishy" ones. As long as you keep them dry, they should be fine.

edited to add, store in brown paper bags or feed sacks, not sure what they're made of!

This message was edited Wednesday, Aug 20th 12:53 AM

LL, another idea. Plant them like the pros tell us to do w/Sago seeds.
Go to Wallyworld or wherever they have kids toys. Buy you a kids swimming pool or 2. My roomy just got 2 & only pd $5 @ for them. Then put soil in it. It gives you lots of room & not much effort.
Put newspaper over the top to hold in the heat. When your snow comes, you can put more newspaper & even a sheet of plastic (shower curtain fr $ store) over it to keep out the snow. Make sure you have DH or DF punch 4-6 holes in bottom so babies don't sit in water.
:~) just a thought.

Thanks all. Hopefully, I will be back in order here in a couple of months, but if not, I will use Melissa's idea for storing till spring. I know they won't bloom, but better than nothing.

LimeyLisa Kay

LimeyLisa, in your zone I would expect they will bloom Spring 2004 if you can get them planted by 15 September. But don't exert yourself and set yourself back to do it! Remember, they are planted quite shallowly, with the top of the rhizome exposed to the sun. Like a duck in the water. In other words, deep digging is not required, although good drainage is. Otherwise, I'd try Melissa's technique and store somewhere cool, like an unheated porch or garage.

Pardancanda, Twice I've tried to grow variegated iris, and they have rotted both times. I've ordered some more from the co-op and I'm going to plant them with the rhizome exposed, and hope that these don't rot. I planted some reblooming iris with the rhizome exposed this past spring and even with all the rain they've grown and look great. Linda

I've wintered over iris in the basement with my cannas. Just make sure you cut the tops short & spread them out to dry before you toss them into storage. Make sure they're well evntialted so they don't rot.

I'm in Iowa & I planted iris last year in late September. Most of them bloomed in spring. I lost a couple touchier ones. We did have a mild winter...

Well, I hate to admit this but......last year when my grandmother passed away I dug several things from her garden some of which were lots of iris rhizomes. I dug them in clumps leaving lots of dirt on them and put them in a box in my garage. That was in June. We were busy fixing up and selling her home and dividing up family belongings plus I had a 4-month old baby. Long story short I did not get them in the ground and come wintertime I needed space in my garage so I tossed the lot of clumps outside next to my garage foundation. Figured they were dead and was going to have to get some of grandma's iris from my relatives. Come spring I decided to go ahead and divide the clumps and plant them. Can't tell you how surprised I was when one of the divisions actually bloomed this Spring. The rest are looking great. My vote is that iris are some hardy little buggers. Mind you they were covered in soil and sitting on top the ground throught my Z5 winter. For what it's worth that's my experience. Don't necessarily recommend that kind of abuse.

My business partner threw some extra iris in the alley late last summer. The darn things worked their way thru gravel & bloomed last spring! And depite Iowa snow & exposure to cold. They are tough! Some of the ones I have are from beds my brothers would use to store lawnmowers & gutterpipes. Drove me crazy as a young gardener to have such brothers! LOL