Bearded Irises Transplanting Tips

Divide your bearded irises during the months of July through August as this time will allow the roots to be established before a hard frost.

A photo of the irises that grow in my yard. 

Started to divide and transplant the irises 

Irises that are grown in a tight space will have small blooms or no blooms, these irises are also susceptible to disease and borers.  I

If irises are planted too close they will need to be divided within a year, otherwise, irises need to be divided and transplanted every 3 to 4 years.

Growing irises is easy, once they are established in your garden they will bloom for many years however; you must check the iris periodically for overcrowding. It is also important to keep the iris bed free of weeds, leaf matter, and debris.

Dividing and Transplanting:


Before digging up the iris rhizomes that need to be divided get the iris garden ready by cutting the leaves to 1/3 of their height.

Dig up the iris with a spade or a pitchfork.  Gently remove the entire iris clump without breaking the roots.  Shake the dirt from the root and then use your garden hose to wash away the dirt from the roots and the rhizome.  Removing the dirt it will enable you to inspect the rhizome.

Inspect the rhizome for soft spots or wormholes, as this is an indication that the iris is infected with borers (grubs).  This generally occurs when irises are overcrowded or there is leaf matter covering the iris bed.

If the damage is small then you can treat the rhizome by cutting off the soft spot with a sharp knife and then soaking the irises in a solution of 10% bleach mixed with water. Soak the irises for a half hour.  Then allow the irises to air dry in shade.  Plant the treated irises in a separate garden.  Do this so you can watch the irises for further infection.

Divide large healthy irises by cutting the young rhizome away from the clump with a sharp knife.

Transplanting Irises

Remove leaves and weeds from the iris garden

cut leaves and transplant spacing plants at least a foot apart 

Grow irises in a garden bed that is located in full sun.  The soil must be well-drained and mixed with organic matter such as compost or manure.  Keep the iris garden weed, leave, and debris free. 

Irises grow best when they receive 6 hours of full sun followed by part shade.  If you reside in an area where there is extreme heat (mid-90 to 100F) then afternoon shade would benefit the irises.


Plant the rhizome in soil no deeper than one inch. Set the rhizome on the soil, spread out the roots, and then cover the roots with soil.  It is best to leave the upper part of the rhizome exposed so that it can absorb nutrients. If irises are planted too deeply then there will be no flowers in spring and the rhizome will rot. Water transplanted irises.

Here are some bearded irises that I grow in my yard and garden. And all need to be divided and transplanted this year.

Maintain your irises and get beautiful spring flowers

Learn more about irises by viewing this video:

  

 

Signs of Early Spring

There are ways to determine if the spring season is going to be early or if you are going to have a long cold winter.  If you are in tune with nature, you will be able to view the signs of spring in your backyard.  Today the sun was bright and the snow on the ground has begun to melt.  The temperature shot up to 32 degrees and for me, it was a warm day and I took advantage of the warm temperature by looking in my yard for signs of spring.  

Grass-like foliage of crocus

I did not need to walk far because under a patch of melted snow I could view the grass-like foliage of the crocus had pushed up out of the soil. I moved the ice and the leaves that had gathered around the crocus and found that the crocus had grown to the height of two inches.

Normally the snowdrops are the first to bloom and I hoped that I had not missed their blooms and then out of the corner of my eye I saw the lovely white bloom of the Snowdrop Galanthus. 

Snowdrop blooms in very early spring

The early spring bulbs are blooming in my yard and this is certainly a sign that winter is coming to an end and spring has begun.

You can inspect your yard for signs of early spring by gently pushing back the organic mulch or show from your flower garden.  Look for the spring bulbs; tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. Another sign of spring can be found on your spring-flowering shrubs; forsythia or the lilacs.  Observe the branches, look for tiny bumps.  These bumps are leaf buds and a sign that your area will have an early spring.

Here are photographs of the signs of spring in my yard, the crocus is blooming and daffodils are growing.

Today I viewed leaf buds on the branches of my spring blooming hedges, this sign of spring makes me believe that my yard will be in full bloom by the end of February or maybe the first week in March.  

Nature knows when it is time for the flowers to grow, and they will come up through the ice and the snow