In the Garden ~ Iris Dividing

 

We have been at the Oaks Bed and Breakfast for just over seven years and our garden has evolved over that time as well. One of the first items we planted were irises. Which happens to be my favorite flower, so you can see why they ended up on the short list for planting.

 

In that time, we have added irises all over the yard. We keep trying different locations to see which ones do the best and where. We have multiple varieties of blooms that come up each year and every new bloom is just as beautiful as the last one. Now it’s time to split our plants and move or combine them with others. It might be a little late in the year to split but I feel like they should still thrive after replanting. Since the end of our summer is still so hot and the ground is still pretty warm, I think any splitting done now should still create new plants wherever planted.

 

Iris should be split every three to five years for optimal growth. Some of ours are on year six and some are at around four. I would say it’s time. I used a pitchfork to stir up my rhizomes for ease of splitting. You just have to be careful not to pierce or split them too early. It’s best to split with your hand instead of a tool.

 

Once your clump of rhizomes is out, it’s time to separate into individual plants. I also trimmed the leaves at this time to help with replanting. I plan to share or replant my unearthed rhizomes with others and will probably keep the ones that other experts say to toss in the compost, such as those without any leave growth. Why not try them all to see what does the best. Be sure to check for rot once removed from the ground. You do not want to introduce harm to other plants or other irises when replanting.

 

When you are ready to replant your bounty, is a great time to amend the soil for optimal growth. Keep in mind that your replanting might not produce flowers the first year.  Have no fear, they should grow beautiful blooms in subsequent years. Be sure to plant in sunny spots, where they can get about six hours of sun. Irises have proved to be drought tolerant and work great in our area. Plant about 12-14 inches apart so they have room to spread out, or closer if that is the look you are going for. With blooms should begin to show in early to Mid-April and lasting until the first part of May.

 

While the blooms do not last long they do create lovely burst of color throughout your garden earlier in the year. I love it when they stack their blooms on a single stem they are just beautiful. If you are looking to add to your irises and have some to share be sure to let us know. We would love to add new colors and varieties to our garden. We have plenty to share.