How To Replant Iris?

Timing is the most critical aspect of iris transplantation. Digging and dividing bearded Iris is best done in the late summer to early fall. Because the weather is generally drier, Iris is less vulnerable to bacterial and fungal rots. If you want to grow Iris, you should split them every three to five years. When clumps need to be divided, these plants produce fewer flowers.

When transplanting bearded Iris, use digging forks to loosen the soil around fleshy rhizomes. Pull soil clumps with a pry bar. Remove the soil from the rhizomes by scrubbing or rinsing them. Bulb bearded iris have a large central mother rhizome that sends out smaller offshoots.

To successfully transplant the Iris, you must cut or break the rhizomes away from the mother plant. Due to the possibility of iris pests and diseases living in the rhizome. Before transplanting an iris, remove the leaves to a depth of 8 inches. Bearded iris need to be split every three to five years if you want to keep them healthy and flourish in your garden. Rhizomes that are buried too deeply will rot.

Blossom iris sibirica in garden

Signs You Need to Transplant Iris

Iris plants may need to be divided for a variety of reasons. Your Iris will begin to decline in blooming if it is not divided. Iris rhizomes that are overcrowded will produce fewer flowers than those that are undercrowded. Your Iris may require transplantation if their blooming frequency drops below what it was previously. A sign that it’s time to move your Iris is when its roots start to heave. As rhizomes become overcrowded, the entire root system of your iris plants will begin to push themselves out of the ground, causing them to die. When the iris roots need to be divided, they may resemble a tangle of snakes or a pile of spaghetti. Plants may even stop putting up foliage, and the clump may only grow foliage around its perimeter.

When Can I Move My Iris Around?

The best time to move irises is in the summer and fall when they are done blooming. Generally, Irises refuse to bloom in the winter because they need time to rest. Once some irises have finished blooming, you can divvy them and move them around. It’s best to do this just after their last spring bloom – that way, your plant will still be warm from the summer when it comes back into dormancy in the fall.

Horizontal view of iris garden. For more of my flowers (CLICK HERE)

Replanting Irises in the Spring: Irises with Beards

People who grow bearded irises have a bulb that looks like a root that grows inside them. If overcrowded, they won’t be able to grow. You can cut the plant’s leaves back to a few inches and dig up the root ball after it blooms in late spring. Replant them with their tops just above the soil. Make sure each new piece has a leaf attached.

Replanting Irises in the Fall: Dwarf Irises

It is not uncommon for dwarf iris plants to become established in the wild and form dense swaths. Remove any diseased or damaged dwarf irises before digging up the bulbs in early autumn and replanting them elsewhere in your garden. In a sunny, well-drained location, plant the bulbs again.

Replanting Dutch Irises

Planting Dutch irises in the right place can help them become more than just annual bulbs. They should be in a place that isn’t too wet, and they should get a lot of sunlight. It’s best to wait until the foliage dies in early fall, then dig up the bulbs and separate them before replanting them. Then add some compost to the soil before you plant them again.

Replanting Siberian Irises

The climate in your garden determines the best time to transplant Siberian Iris. When transplanting irises in colder climates, the process begins in early spring, and late August is another option. Iris transplantation is best done in the fall if you live in a warm climate. A healthy root system can be established before stressful cold temperatures in northern areas or hot summer temperatures in southern regions, depending on where you live.

As they develop, Siberian Iris grows in clumps. The clump’s core usually dies out over time, leaving a new growth ring around the edges. You can either dig up the clump or replant it in a new location. Also, you can use the same planting area that the iris were originally in.

You can cut the clump into pie slices with a pruning saw. It’s time to remove each of the buried blocks. To replant only the living outer edges, remove the dead clump portions toward its center (the pointed end of the slice). Keep them at the same depth before you put them in the ground.