Irises

[James Scott]

What is the best time of year to split a large bed of irises in zone 5

Northhawke

[David E. Ross]

In any zone:

For bulb iris (sometimes called "Dutch" iris), divide when the foliage dies.

For rhizome iris (e.g., bearded iris), check with a LOCAL nursery and ask them when they will have bearded iris for sale as bare root rhizomes. (This must be a "real" nursery, not a lumber yard or hardware store -- not Home Depot.) Go back at that time to verify they really are available. That's the time to divide them. Work on one clump at a time, replanting the same day they are dug.

See my .

[Dwayne]

I do it right after they quit blooming. I take a shovel and cut the plant in half. I leave half where it is and remove the other half, and then cut it in half again. Then you will have two to plant, or give, or throw away.

The reason I do it that way is so the half that was left where it was, will bloom again the following year. Sometimes the transplanted ones will need an additional year to make blooms.

Dwayne