storing Iris rhizomes in the Irises forum

Oct 30, 2016 5:33 PM CST

I have sold my family home and would like to take my father's iris with me. Can I store them thru the winter and replant next year? How do I store them?

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Cuzz4short

Oct 30, 2016 5:52 PM CST

Name: Gabriel/Gabe Rivera
Charlotte, NC (Zone 7b)
German imported, Michigan raised

An expert will chime in shortly.. I'd pot them if possible, amount pending of course.

You can clean them really good with 10% bleach water, dry them, and paper bag them. Just leave them in a dark place without humidity.

Some people may small pot some and refrigerate into dormancy. Yucky, but you can always get a Craigslist mini fridge usually for cheap. Bring them back out in the spring and drop in the ground.

Just some suggestions. Or take some of each instead of all and time will multiply them again..

Good luck

Gimme it and I'll grow it!

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tveguy3

Oct 30, 2016 6:06 PM CST

Name: Tom
Southern Wisconsin (Zone 5b)

If you live in a warmer zone, you could plant them and they would be OK. If you live where Winter is knocking at your door, then you might want to pot a few and keep them protected during the winter. You can try to keep some in a dry cool place over winter and they may survive, but it will take them a while to come to bloom when you do plant them. If we knew what zone you live in it would help us provide some better ideas.

Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.

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IrisLilli

Oct 31, 2016 5:40 AM CST

Name: Lilli
Lundby, Denmark, EU

to the Iris Forum Southernlady!

Yes, knowing the zone you want to plant them in would help!

Of course I talk to myself; sometimes I need expert advice!

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DaveinPA

Oct 31, 2016 12:05 PM CST

South central PA (Zone 6a)

Welcome to this forum, and to the addiction.
Arlyn did some experiments with overwintering rhizomes and sliced up ones also. Hopefully he will pop into the discussion. (@crowrita1)

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Last edited by DaveinPA Oct 31, 2016 12:06 PM

iciris

Oct 31, 2016 12:34 PM CST

Northern CA (Zone 9a)

Another warm

headed your way.

• “Whoever said, ‘Do something right and you won’t have to do it again’ never weeded a garden.” – Anonymous

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crowrita1

Oct 31, 2016 3:26 PM CST

Name: Arlyn
Whiteside County, Illinois (Zone 5a)

As others have said....where you are, or, more to the point, what your climate is like would be the deciding factor. If you have 30 days, or more, until your ground freezes (or if you live someplace it DOESN'T freeze !) I'd plant them in the ground, and either "pin" them to the ground with landscape staples, or weight them down (at the first sign of freezing soil) with a brick. If you don't have 30 days, I'd put them someplace cool and dry, and plant them in the spring....if you choose this route, give the roots (not the whole rhizome)a good two day soaking in water before you plant them.
And,

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