How long can irises sit out...

before they die? I have more of them dug up than I can replant in a timely fashion, but I want to get those borers out now!

That depends on the sizes of your rhizomes. The smaller the rz, the more quickly it'll dessicate out of the ground, and the more quickly you should get it replanted. If you're talking about those huge lunkers out of the West Coast, they can sit out for months as long as they're kept reasonably cool (NOT in the refrigerator), perfectly dry, and out of direct sunlight.

Thanks, Laurie. So I would likely have the best luck if I replanted the smallest rhizomes first, and kept the others on a newspaper in the garage...

Right, or better yet, hang the larger ones in mesh onion bags out of direct sunlight to keep the air circulating around them.

I've heard several stories here at DG about people who had a pile of tubers someplace and forgot all about them and found them the next year--and they grew. I'm not recommending that, but I have come to believe that they may be tougher than we give them credit for. You are in the middle of a huge undertaking from the sounds of it.

Diane

We just found some rhizomes at Presby tht were dug in 2005, and they were forgotten in the carriage house. Some were crispy, and they got tossed. Those that were firm and/or sprouty, went back into the ground.
Now this only works with rhizomes you don't care about! Were you to try to preserve a particularly desireable rhizome for a year it would die.
Laetitia

Huge is the word for it! I have just realized that there may be borers in my SI also - at least the edge leaves look raggy on one plant. And I have masses of yellow pseudacorus that have been here for centuries - they have borers too.
It is soooo satisfying to find those fat and lazy worms thinking about curling up in a ball for a nice long nap after pigging out.

I was wrong about the iris in my asparagus bed - I thought they were borer-less, but that was wrong. Boy were those hard to dig out with all of the asparagus roots. My iris is going to be planted all by itself from now on.

I have bags and bags of rhizomes that I dug up last year and they're all looking pretty good. The idea about hanging them in an onion bag is brilliant! Thanks Laurie. I think I'll plant all these guys and yes of course, the ones I want, won't make it but it's worth a try!