Dried up things from the clearance sale. Would you?

Recently I found a load of fall bulbs and Iris on sale
for a buck a bag, but passed on the Iris even though
my heart was crying for them.

I know Iris are durable and can take abuse, but these
things seemed rather dry. I guess as long as the heart
feels firm, I should have picked them up, hmm?

Should I go back and get a few? Come on, someone
talk me into it.

Also, would you soak them for a few days before planting?
I realize this is not the best time to plant, but I just can't
help myself.

Karen Marie

If you don't mind investing the time, garden space, and money on some questionable rhizomes that most likely will NOT be what is pictured on the package (if they survive at all), go ahead and have fun with them. At worst, you've engaged in an interesting experiment. At best, you'll end up with some lovely iris additions to your garden.

Laurie

Re: questionable rhizomes that may not ring true.

Isn't that the truth? I learned my lesson in validity of
named cultivars with regard to daylilies years ago.
I guess the same would apply to all of those quickie
packages.

But like you said, a cheap thrill. Many thanks for your
post. I think I may get a few.

:-) KM

Experiments can be fun--and you may find some colors you really love wether they are pictured on the package or not. All the iris rhizomes look alike when they are not in bloom.

If you go for them, make sure they are not 'crispy critters'.
Laetitia

I've been known to stand and squeeze every bulb in a bargain daffodil or tulip bag. Planting them late is not a problem and i can always use more.

Planting iris this late would be a waste of time for me.

I work at a big chain store and have purchased just the type of crispy critters you are talking about. I didn't really care about the variety being correct, I just wanted flowers eventually and I hate to see them discarded:) They looked like supplies for a voodoo ceremony, all dessicated and shriveled up but I only paid 2 cents per bag of 2. I soaked them in room temp water with some H2O2 in it and planted them in an undeveloped area of the flower bed. It took 3 years for them to recover enough to get foliage about 1 foot tall. No flowers yet.

I will not buy iris at any of the chain stores or home improvement stores again. All of them look like ginger root going bad and it takes them too long to recover and rebound from the long dry storage time. Some of the most beautiful rhizomes I've purchased were from some guy on eBay (who hasn't been back to sell more=( ) They were huge, clean, plump and the meat of the rhizomes were creamy white. After seeing them, I decided the cost was worth it to buy as fresh as you can. It's too late for me here as well, so I'm planning for next summer's new iris purchases=)

Two problems I had with ebay when I was bidding there a few years ago. To save on shipping, I would bid on several from the same person---many arrived sooo tiny that they took 3 years to bloom. Others arrived nice & large, but 1/2 bloomed wrong a year later. They all look the same when not blooming.

I did find two wonderfully honest ebayers who have become my trading & growing friends now. Both sent me iris that were healthy & bloomed correct. And of course our friend Tazzy who has gifted me with some amazing historics over the years....