Re: Requesting advice re dividing Japanese iris
Al,
If your pot of Japanese iris is fairly full and looks like there will not be
room for about four babies from each fan, then I would certainly divide the
plant. Japanese irises are heavy feeders and would probably appreciate new
soil. You could try potting some divisions and planting the others directly
in the garden. Japanese are very good about blooming the first year after
being divided. In the case of a potted plant in a cool climate, I would
divide it after it finishes blooming and not wait until fall when you might
have a chance of losing it.
Japanese are divided like siberians. Just knock off the dirt and start to
pull the plant apart trying to keep two or three fan divisions together. In
my lineouts I use single fan divisions so don't worry if a few pieces break
off. Look carefully at the bloomstalks on Japanese because they will often
have little buds that will grow into plants (which will not bloom the
following year). New fans which did not bloom this year should bloom next
year.
Do not bury the plant any deeper than it is already growing but rather add
mulch after the ground starts to freeze. The soil should cover the rhizome
completely but not come up the leaf.
There is no robin devoted specifically to Japanese.
Glad to hear that your plant grew and bloomed. Now you can start a
collection of Japanese too.
Carol Warner, in Maryland where the Japanese are still blooming.
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