TB: Moving First Year Plants?


An iris newbee who seeks your expertise here...

We have decided to extend our back deck. We will not begin construction 
before August (the time when we would normally plant iris here). Unfortunately, 
this will mean that I will have to move six iris plants that were planted back in 
late August 2004. I understand that iris always perform better the second or 
third year, after they have had a chance to get established in one spot. 
Fortunately, most of my new irises will stay put; however, I have no alternative 
but to move these particular 1st year plants. 

So, I would like to ask you: should I take a shovel, dig it in deep and try 
to move the rhizomes, roots, AND the soil around them in an attempt to 
transplant the irises as "intact" as possible in big soil-laden clumps for their new 
bed? Or should I not worry about the soil and just assume that the rhizomes, 
once having been in the ground for a year, will do fine replanted, even though 
the roots are "dangling" like they would be if I received them straight from 
Schreiner's, Mid-America or whomever? 

The plants look great right now, especially healthy each and every one--we 
are in our first week here in coastal SC of no below freezing lows and the 
little green fans are starting to shoot out everywhere (though the wind sounds as I 
write as if it is about to blow the shingles off of our roof! typical 
March/April pattern here--I'll ask you later about stakes!).

Your opinions are most appreciated--
Thank you--
Mike in Zone 8
Coastal SC (Myrtle Beach, SC)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS



Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index