My iris bed is at a decade old and needs to be refurbished. I was traveling and did not get to it sooner. I would like to dig up the iris and store them out of the ground over winter, giving me all winter to amend and till the bed. Any suggestions on how to store them over the next 5 months or so to be planted in early spring? I am in zone 7 and have a garage storage room that stays about 45-50 degrees. Thanks.

Welcome, exfed.

Not sure how closely the Iris folk follow the general Ask a Question forum. Going to post some member IDs who have a lot of experience growing Iris, so maybe they can chime in with opinions.

@tveguy3
@Paul2032
@crowrita1
@KentPfeiffer

Forgot to say that, while I grow Iris, I am only this year actually learning anything about them, so I will be interested in the answer, too.

I haven't done this but I would think that you could dig them, knock off the soil, trim foliage back to several inches, and spread them out on a tarp in you storage area. When your spring weather arrives break off some of the nice big rhizomes on the edges of the clumps and plant them. They will probably take another year to bloom but amending the bed will reward you. We all see dry brown starts in bags at the big box stores in the spring and with patience they will grow. I have had rhizomes survive laying on the surface over winter here in zone 5. Welcome to the iris forum. We will look forward your participation. Good luck

exfed I haven't done this on purpose, but I did have some left over rhizomes in a bag in the basement over winter. In the spring they still had a bit of green to them, and I'm sure they would have survived had I planted them. I doubt if they would have bloomed for a couple of years, but they would have lived. Another alternative is to plant one of each in a large pot and bury the pot over winter outside. Then in the spring, dig a hole and pop them in. You have a better chance of them blooming in the spring then. In your zone you might get by with it best if you dig them in mid November, and then plant them in March, or as early as you can. Good luck and keep us posted on the results!

There are some bio degradable pots--that might we a choice. Otherwise regular pots in a trench or your garage would be a good idea. Be sure and label with the names.

I agree with both Paul, Lucy, and Tom. I'm sure they will survive ,un planted, if kept cool and dry, with some good air flow around them to prevent mold....maybe hang them in an 'onion" bag ?! But, if I had any room to do so, I would either "Pot" them, and "sink " the pots, or just pant them directly in the soil....maybe just in a row, ...even 'crowded" closely, and then re plant in the spring when your bed is ready. They are very "forgiving" plants !

Welcome!

As already noted, irises are a hardy flower. I have had good success with digging up clumps and directly placing them on top of the soil after removing the sod. This late in the season I'd remove a small depth, put them down, then put the removed soil on top of the exposed roots. Crowd them as they won't be there permanently. Of course you could do the beds in stages, half each year, with the crowding in the half not being worked on immediately, then repeat on other half.

The other option is the potted option, which I have never had luck with, so others can give you ideas on that and many have already. Several rhizomes of each variety could be placed in pots which are then stuck in the soil close together. In the spring just pull them out, soil and all, and place in holes in the newly prepped beds so as to reduce the trauma to the roots and maybe allow blooming next year.

I think it was Arlyn who last year cut several rhizomes into chunks, let them lay out of the ground all winter, then replanted the chunks in the spring. He had a better than 50% survival rate.

Keep us posted; we all like to learn more tricks.

I pot irises and over winter them. I have both buried them and just left them on top of the soil. I still have "clumps" to plant and did some of them today.

I would go with what Arlyn says. Pot them up, and leave outside huddled in groups. I do that every year, and they usually bloom right in the pot, then I take them up. divide and replant.

Let us know how you make out, and a big welcome to ATP irises.

AlthePal...I'm in central Oregon @4500' my 30 varieties bought from Schreiners, have struggled in the fine volcanic dust for 3 years. Voles and moles take over the beds and bury the corms 3-4"deep...so I'm kinda at wits end. Last year I replanted the strongest plants into 5 gallon pots with new potting soil, left out all winter in -15 f weather. Finally got a good bloom this spring. Pots were frozen solid for 4 months.
Am I doing anything right? Will I have to repot every year? This fall I filled 30 pots, 3 plants each. 10 go into a south facing greenhouse, unwatered, 10 go into a bed 3"deep and 10 into a garage kept at 50 deg. I'll let you know how I did.

alan.

sorry i can't give you any sage advice about planting irises in the cold....i'm struggling at the other end of the spectrum in coastal desert, with little rainfall, blazing sun, and sometimes wet, dewy foggy nights and mornings.

but there will be others with conditions more like yours, and they'll be able to help you.

Welcome Alan!

I've very successfully over-wintered pots in an unheated garage; and they've been frozen solid. About once a month I water each pot with about 1/4 cup of water to keep the rhizome from completely drying out. Don't know if watering is absolute necessary, but it hasn't hurt. Good luck!

Hi Alan --

I'm wondering if you could sink those pots into the ground? That would solve the mole/vole problem -- and probably the soil issue too. Just a thought.

! I think, as Mary Ann suggested, sinking the pots 'rim deep' would be the way to go.

Alan

Alan.

Welcome Alan.
Good advice already given.
Do look up recipes for mole/vole soup and put out the traps!

DaveinPA said:Welcome Alan.
Good advice already given.
Do look up recipes for mole/vole soup and put out the traps!

Alan

@alan_r_ander Welcome. Don't you think those in greenhouse should have some water, periodically?