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Dividing Bearded Iris
I always seem to be running a bit behind, and that statement holds true for my gardening tasks. I have to go with the attitude of “better late than never.” This past spring, I noticed my Bearded Iris had a notable decline in bloom production. This is most likely due to the fact that were planted over 5 years ago and have never been divided. I decided three weeks ago to divide my irises and replant. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to run late…this should have been done sometime July-August. I’m hoping with this last burst of hot weather, a late division and transplant won’t kill my irises. It’s fairly easy to divide and transplant an iris, just a little time consuming. Start off by carefully lifting up your iris, taking care to not damage the rhizome. I use my pitchfork to do this task. Begin pulling the rhizomes apart with your hands. You will see baby rhizomes growing off the original rhizome. I use a small putty knife to separate the baby rhizome form the original dead rhizome. (Dipping your tool in a solution of 1/10: bleach/water will help avoid spread of disease as you work from rhizome to rhizome.) Try and keep your new rhizomes about as thick as your thumb with a few healthy roots. Discard any rhizomes that are mushy, soft, or feel very lightweight. Lastly, trim leaves to about 3-6 inches long. This helps reduce stress on the plant; focus will be on new root growth rather than leaf maintenance.
I have completed the division and this weekend it’s time to transplant. Easy to do. Keep rhizome slightly visible at the soil surface with the roots fanned out below. I have the large variety of Bearded Iris - space about 12” apart. Once planted, water thoroughly and only water again when dry. Do not mulch. This can cause the rhizome to rot as we go thru fall and winter seasons. The good news is if my tardiness with transplanting late kills my irises, I can always take a field trip to our local iris farm in Vacaville!
Bearded iris rhizomes. (photo by Mary Gabbard)
