Seeking help from Southern California Iris folks...

This will probably sound really stupid, but I've got a garden that is 13 months old, and over the summer I purchased about 50 named iris (mostly TB) in eager anticipation of adding one of my very favorite flowers to the garden beds. Well, I've been too sick to garden for the last several months and wasn't able to plant them. Although most of the rhizomes are now brown, they aren't mushy, and when I spoke with the experts at Armstrong Gardens they said I'm still fine to plant in San Bernardino.

My question, is should I soak or wet the rhizomes, or do anything else for that matter before I plant? Or, just plant them with a little bone meal? I have a feeling that the vast majority won't bloom until spring 2008 (?), but I sure hope I haven't lost many and want them all to have the very best chance at survival. Not only did I spend a bunch of money (for me at least), but I picked out and love each and every cultivar I bought! I know that purchasing them and not having planted yet is tantamount to sin, but I didn't plan on my health going astray :-(

Any assistance y'all could provide would be extremely appreciated!! Thanks :-)

Amar, sorry you have not gotten a response. I just starting growing irises myself, so would hate to give you wrong information.
You might find the answer if you go thru the old postings..surely this has happened to others. Or can you call the place where you ordered them from? If you ordered from Schreiner's..they are very helpful.

It probably wouldn't hurt to soak the rzs for an hour immediately before planting, but it's also not necessary as long as you water them in thoroughly right after planting. Irises are tough, and if the rzs still have some weight to them (not completely dessicated), they should recover just fine once you get them in the ground.

You're right about bloom, though. You probably won't see much in 2007. However, 2008 should be lovely in your garden!

Laurie