Irises over-wintering in pots

I just obtained some irises via the Historic Iris Protection Society -- sort of an ad hoc iris escue program.

I live in New England, so it's too late for me to plant them outside.

I understood they could be planted now in pots.

I'm assuming they need to be kept inside, away from freezing.

On the other hand, I've heard that iris need cold to bloom.

Where should I put these iris-bearing pots over the winter?

Ideas?

Chances are that few, if any, of them will bloom next spring no matter how you handle them this late in the season, so don't worry about that. Just assume they'll need next year to become well rooted and established in your garden, and look forward to bloom in '08.

Bearded irises overwinter indoors just fine in pots. Use a very light potting medium (potting soil mixed with LOTS of perlite), water sparingly and allow the soil to dry out between waterings (overwatering will cause them to rot), and check daily for aphid infestations (irises are VERY prone to aphids indoors). Keep the pots under lights or in your sunniest windows, but be aware that even so, the foliage will grow thin, weak, and floppy. It'll recover just fine once you plant the irises in your garden next spring. Plant them out next spring as soon as your last chance of frost is passed.

Laurie

I've also been told that potted irises will overwinter just fine outdoors, in a sheltered location (such as up against the non-windy side of your house).

I remember one person wrote about digging up some unwanted iris and tossing them over the fence... and the next spring she saw new growth on the rhizomes! So I'd say they can be pretty tough.

Thanks!

constance22 brewster ma. Greeting from crazyplanter in brewster ma.[route 137] I plant iris and daylilies all thru november I have for years don't believe i've lost one. I also mulch with leaves and grass clippings.

I plant through October and use a light application of pine straw which I remove when the weather starts to warm up again in late winter/early spring.

I pot a lot of iris their first year just as a precaution against disease and unknowns, even though I rebleach everything. I cover them with shredded oakleaf mulch which I can blow off in the spring put them in direct sun and wait for bloom. They do not as a rule bloom as well in pots but I am space tight right now and do not want any more unknowns. Unknowns now stay potted until Identified or a sold in bloom.
:)
A

I receive iris in Feb, from overseas and they are potted, then come spring I dig a hole big enough for the entire rootball and lift out undistrubed and most times I receive bloom here in Oregon.

Right now bought out a company of siberians and planting most in the ground, then the balance in pots.

Hope the excellent advice given here is of help

D

I live in the Chicago area, zone 5, and I routinely divide and overwinter irises in pots, bearded and siberian. They do just fine. I use a well draining potting mix and sink them pots and all in a protected holding bed. Some even throw up blooms in the spring. However, AVMORAN is correct, the plants do not bloom as well in pots as in the ground.

Good to know.

6b and planting beardeds into November - it was 22*F this morning in my zone 6b, but up near 70 during the day. I've got a few left to plant out, so I think I'll chance it. Thanks for starting this thread, Constance - great info you've gleaned for all of us :-)

I have one group to plant, yet. I think they'll be fine in zone 6, although I may mulch them for awhile.

Crazyplanter's right down the street, I'm hoping he's right.

There's not enough light in my house to bring anything in (my poor, once-lush Mandevillia is dying of low-light right now), I threw up my hands and planted all the iris rescue bulbs I got. No frost expected for the next week or so. Fingers crossed.

[ps kmom--don't think the change from 22 to 70 sounds so good, do you? We haven't had a frost here yet, that's what I'm counting on. I worry about your rhizomes.]

I'm a she for future dialog but my DH says I work like a man in the yard. I quess thats a compliment.

Critter, I have yellow water iris they grow like weeds. We cut half of them out of the pond and tossed them in an old bathtub that had been used for watering the horses. They never got moved and just laid in the tub all winter there wasn’t even any water in it by then and the next year they bloomed beautifully. We also tossed some behind a dirt pile they weren’t even buried and they were fine too. I have given them to everyone I could think of and still had leftovers. I’m not sure I could kill them short of setting them on fire. I almost fell over when I saw they were selling them at $22 a pot at the pond shop. Holly

Holly, that's just remarkable!

LOL at "I’m not sure I could kill them short of setting them on fire."

We just got the Iris out of the pond today and here are some of the pic's. This year I'm actually going to give it a good cover of dirt for the winter. ;}

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/675383/

Thanks for your tip, crazyplanter. I did plant those historic iris rescues, and, due to the relatively mild weather, I think they're doing ok. Certainly better than they would inside this pretty much light-less house.

I can't wait for spring. I miss my flowers !!!! Constance 22 let me know in the spring how your Iris did,I'd hate to think I gave bad advice. I planted the my last order of bare root daylilies 2 weeks and even after cold snap and snow flurries there still a healthy green.

I was out in the yard wrapping my statues yesterday. My iris looked so limp and lonely...

I think they'll be doing well, crazyplanter. The winter has been so warm so far, they've all grown just a little. Thanks again.

Well, I potted my iris last fall and, unfortunately, almost all of them rotted. I realized it was because I used potting SOIL instead of potting MIX. I didn't really know there was a difference. So, the pots just held the water like crazy (I left the pots outside), and the rhizomes became waterlogged and rotted. So, I think it should be emphasized to use potting MIX. Newbie gardeners like myself may overlook the difference. I repotted 2 of the 3 rhizomes that survived in potting MIX, lol, and put down the iris borer grub killing granules, yesterday. So, I hope they'll survive. I'll let y'all know how they turn out.

~Kristy

I potted all of mine that didn't get planted in potting soil and lost 1 or 2 out of maybe 25. Of course, we don't have iris borer here. I am sorry you had to learn that lesson the hard way. If only we had thought to mention it. I never use soil for potted plants of any kind. The potting mixes are better suited to growing in pots.

Hi pajaritomt,

Oh, it *was* mentioned on here, but I just overlooked it cause I'm relatively new (about 5 yrs) to gardening. I just read "potting mix" as "potting soil," lol. Skimmed over the word "mix." So, it's my fault. I was just saying perhaps the word "mix" should be emphasized as MIX or mix or even MIX for newer (or less observant) gardeners like myself, lol. I'm glad your iris survived. Of course, I also have borers, so that could've caused more losses, too. I only planted the rhizomes that looked like they hadn't been touched, but oh well. So I'll have to buy a bunch of new irises, boo hoo, oh no, woe is me, hehehehe. *wink* ;D

~Kristy