Best time to move irises?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Loofah, May 22, 2009.

  1. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2008
    Messages:
    15,714
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Guildford
    Ratings:
    +27,993
    Um, as title really! When is the best time to dig up, separate and move iris plants about?
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2006
    Messages:
    17,534
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Suffolk, UK
    Ratings:
    +12,671
    Autumn :thumb: (Sep-Oct)
     
  3. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2008
    Messages:
    15,714
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Guildford
    Ratings:
    +27,993
  4. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2005
    Messages:
    3,833
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    West Midlands
    Ratings:
    +3,377
    Sorry, but Bearded Iris are moved after flowering has finished. We do ours in the middle of June and if you go to Powys Catle Gardens or Chirk, they do theirs then too. We dig up the rhizomes after removing the dead flowering stems, discard the older soggy pieces, cut the leaf fans in half and replant in newly fertilised soil. The roots are planted on either side of a ridge with the rhizomes running north/south and exposed with the fan of leaves at the north end. Give them a good watering and away they go.
     
  5. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2006
    Messages:
    17,534
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Suffolk, UK
    Ratings:
    +12,671
    Probably help to know whether they are Bearded, Beardless, moisture-loving (marginal), bulbs, crested even! or one of the others

    Got a picture of them in flower Loofah?
     
  6. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2008
    Messages:
    15,714
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Guildford
    Ratings:
    +27,993
    'Fraid not but I'm pretty sure they're beardless
     
  7. lollipop

    lollipop Gardener

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    5,581
    Ratings:
    +24
    The thing is, if you wait until Autumn to move them there is a chance that all the foliage will have gone so it's a job to find them. So to avoid having to deal with my terrible memory, I would move them in Summer for this reason. Perhaps it is by happy accident that I seem to do it at the right time.

    Sometimes, the right time to do something is when you have remembered to.
     
Gardeners Corner is dependent on Donation to keep running, if you enjoy using Gardeners Corner, please consider donating to help us with our operating costs.
Loading...

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice