Re: Beginner question

Alana, bearded iris and other types are quite different in what they will
tolerate.  If you are talking about *bearded* type iris, they are hard to
kill.  *Beardless* are another matter--these need to be lifted with dirt on
the roots and reset almost immediately.

The bearded iris will survive most anything except too careful, excessive
care.  Over-fed, over-grown or over-watered bearded types can rot easily.

I once dug an order in August out in SW Idaho for a customer who never picked
them up.  They were washed, trimmed and very nice rhizomes in a paper sack in
my garage.  I discovered them the following June or July.  There seemed to be
some life in them even though they were completely dried out (semi-desert
country, low humidity), so I planted them.  A couple of them even bloomed that
summer!  They all were alive.

I don't recommend this kind of storage--just mentioned it to point out you
have lots more flexibility with beardeds than one might think.

You could replant in that same bed after mixing in some good compost, gypsum,
bonemeal or other amendments into the soil and letting the sun hit the soil
with several turnings of the dirt.

Your best growth will be in new soil, full sun (or at least six or more hours
of sun), good drainage, planting the rhizomes a little deeper than usually
recommended.  They will adjust their depth themselves as they grow.  Plant two
or three rhizomes--the best you can find--from each of the old clumps--and
settle them in with water to make sure the rhizomes and roots are in good
contact with soil, then do not over water.  Just make sure you have about the
same water you would supply garden vegetables.

Neil Mogensen  now in z 7, western North Carolina mountains

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