I'm in a pickle, HELP!

My husband and I are going to be moving around the first of June. I have two different colors of iris'. .. yellow and purple, don't know their names, but they have sentimental value to me. I want to take some of both colors to my new home. I know you are suppose to divide/transplant in the fall (I didn't know last fall we were going to move) what would you do? I was thinking I should go ahead and dig up what I want now and plant them in pots, ready to move....or should I wait until say around the middle of May? All have put on big green fans but no buds or blooms yet.

What's your opinion?

THANKS!!!!

Lisa Moore

Wait until after bloom, then pot them up and keep the pots in a protected area out of direct sunlight (filtered sun under a deciduous tree is fine). You can keep them in the pots until you're ready to transplant into your new garden.

Laurie

They will like a little more water in the pots, but I think that is the right thing to do also. Once you move, just holler and some of us will send you others.

Thanks for the help. I will wait until they bloom, I noticed yesterday they had buds on them now. I will enjoy the blooms this year at least.

Lisa Moore

Lisa - you won't lose them. If they have sentimental value, then they've been around awhile and are as tough as nails. As long as Iris don't get soggy a lot then there's nothing much that can kill them. Keith Keppel told me once that he put a sack of Rhizomes in his garage and forgot to plant them until the spring. It all worked out fine. You're babies will be just fine.

Woodspirit I'll take you up on that offer once I get moved. The new place has no flowers at all other than some daffodils.

The yellow iris bloomed yesterday, I wish I new where DH packed the camera! :(

Lisa Moore