My bicolor iris are taking over what should be a small bed by my driveway. Can anyone advise me on how to divide them or cut them back, just somehome make them smaller!
Annie
dividing bicolor iris
Annie - Dont do anything now, Iris are my big thing around here. You can move them now but you will lose all or most of your blooms. Wait until 6 weeks after they bloom, dig up all the iris and cut the think roots apart with a very sharp and clean knife. Replant with lots of room to spread, I give them a foot each at least when I am starting a new plant. You can trade, give, or add a new iris bed with the extras.
Mitch,
When you say after they bloom, last year was the first full year they were planted and they bloomed off and on all summer through early fall. So, do I need to wait until next Fall now?
Annie
P.S. I don't "think" I know what a "think" root is.
thick - sorry :-)
I try for September, sometimes Oct... you can do it now but it *might* cost you blooms.
I've always redone the iris beds in Oct ~ Nov. Do you dust the roots with anything?
Never down here up in OK mom used to back in the day.
Do you recall what she used? Was it horticultural sulphur? Do the roots need to dry some so they won't rot when replanted?
I really dont know waht she used... it smelled terrible that was all a kid needed to know. :-)
Nope you can water them - just make sure they dont sit in water or the roots rot.
Mitch, I soaked mine for about 5-6 days with just a drop or two of Super Thrive. The crew planted them Saturday in the Specialty Soil. Are you saying they won't bloom at all this year?
LouC
Might might not - the ones in the Fall should - fingers crossed - bloom for sure... some Iris are srtonger then others and are itching to bloom. Jesse's Song for example will bloom the first year even when moved.
I can hardly wait. Cannot believe my blessings from you.
'Jesse's Song' is my all time favorite bearded iris. Glad you like it! JS blooms for me in years when conditions are against bloom and the others pout.
Pat it came from you three years ago now - and I love it, it was one of the first plants I moved to OK.
Uh - AnnieJo said bicolor iris. I think she may be referring to Dietes bicolor and that is a whole different animal. Or plant, if you prefer. AnnieJo - Is this what you have? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1882/
If so, you can divide anytime, and yes, you will have blooms the first year. They're hard to divide, because they get so crowded. You'll need to dig up the part you want to move - like daylilies, and break them apart with something very sturdy - shovel or such. Replant, etc, and they won't miss a beat.
I thought that first too but followed the flow of thought here. If hers are taking over, I want to know the secret! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/799518/
Thanks for the link, I shall leave a neutral rating on this guy. pod
Right - I have never seen them get so big in one year they needed moved.
"Right - I have never seen them get so big in one year they needed moved. " well, I was about to pull my "this is Texas, everything is always bigger here" when I remembered what forum I am in! The problem is they were probably overplanted by my landscaper to make a new bed look fuller and now they are overpowering what is a smallish bed. Let me guys know what you think.
Hmmmm, they look just like mine ~ no blooms. LOL
Looks like it is time to grab the spading fork and just start digging.
Podster,
Mine did bloom last year, which was the year they were planted. I have them all over the place as the deer don't eat them. The ones that bloomed the most got more sun and water than the ones in the partly shady areas on a hill which is harder to keep them watered on.
Annie
P.S. I don't know if this has anything to do with it or not, but the whole front area was treated with Milorganite a couple of times last year.
AnnieJo, Mine bloom like crazy in spring and summer, each flower lasting one day. They don't get morning sun, not by choice, just by location. The clumps enlarge at a normal/quick pace - whatever that is - not invasively. I took out a large clump this year because it was misplaced by a landscaper and grew into surrounding plants. And it got scale two years in a row. Two strikes. Another clump has sufficient space, looks good, and so it stays. I have never had trouble getting it to bloom, and I am a rather lazy gardener in that I don't pump the fertilizer very much. But we do put compost down in the spring. Don't ever make the mistake of tossing Osmocote into the clump. It will kill. I've found that it also likes regular watering. Those are my experiences with Dietes bicolor.