DIVIDE IRISES EVERY FEW YEARS
Here we are in late July. If your irises are like mine, they are beginning to go dormant with the summer heat and have yellow foliage. Now is the time to consider dividing. Iris plants are a popular garden flower, but every few years, they need to be divided and replanted. If you don’t divide, the iris plants become overcrowded, and flower production decreases. In addition, overcrowded iris plants are also more prone to foliar diseases.
You may think that dividing Bearded Iris is a daunting task, but it isn’t a difficult garden project. Bearded Iris can be divided any time after flowering, but in this area, this is often done in July or August.
STEPS TO DIVIDING BEARDED IRIS
- To make dividing easier and more accurate, trim the foliage to about 4” up from the rhizome. My training taught me to trim the leaves at an angle, which helps expose the rhizome sitting on top of the soil.
- Take a shovel or a pitchfork and carefully lift the clumps of rhizomes out of the ground. Where I live now, my irises are in containers / mixed in with other plants. I use a trowel to lift out the rhizomes.
- Once the clumps are out of the ground, shake off as much dirt as possible.
- Use your hands to carefully separate individual rhizomes by pulling them apart.
- While you are dividing, inspect the rhizomes for insects or diseases. If you suspect either, I recommend tossing these rhizomes in the trash.
- Irises are a very hardy, sun-loving perennial.
- Irises do best in rich, well-draining soil.
- When replanting, prepare a shallow hole with an allow mound in the center. At this point, you can add either the ESPOMA BONE MEAL or ESPOMA BIO-TONE to the hole. Place the rhizome on this center mound by spreading the roots down the mound into the surrounding trench.
- You want the rhizome to sit on the ground with only the roots underground. Irises are susceptible to root rot if buried.
SHARE THE BEAUTIES OF BEARDED IRIS
Over the years, I have learned a lot about Bearded Iris from members of the Central Virginia Iris Society, especially my good friend Mike. Mike is very active in breeding new varieties of Bearded Iris. A couple of years ago, he gave me one of his new creations—a beautiful white iris.
July and August are two good months for dividing Bearded Iris. We will have bare-rooted iris rhizomes for sale in the next few months. Over the years, I have given away many of my extra iris rhizomes to friends, family, and neighbors. Share this beautiful bounty.
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!