On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 00:47:30 -0400, "madgardener"
wrote:

Is there anything special I should do to separate them? Just dig out
"all" of them except one or two rhizomes? Should I leave a clump and
then free a section of a certain size, so, I effectively 'patchwork'
in blank areas?

What I'd like to do is remove the least amount of rhizomes for the
most amount of blooming return next year. If that's all of them, then,
that's fine, but, I don't want to pull out all of them unless that's
really the best choice.

Second to that, I have a new lot of mixed (by color) iris rhizomes
that I bought. How far apart should I plant them in a long thin bed
that will still leave room for other small flowers in between (I have
some snowdrops and grecian windflowers, and other 'small' bulbs that
grow into small plants)?

Gwen

I tend to agree with Sugar Chile with total removal and refurbishing the
bed. But to ensure you get bloom next year, besides planting the largest
rhizome, I'd make sure the largest in the bed isn't disturbed and has soil
intact around the roots. Sometimes irises will actually quit blooming
because their rhizomes are covered up. All leaf and no flower. They like to
sit on top of the soil more.

I think I can clear out sections reasonably easy (although that
thought may be pure ignorance on my part ). Yes, I'm getting lots of
'all leaf and no flower', but, the rhizomes are at least partially
exposed to the air, so, I don't think they're unhappy to be covered
with dirt and that's why they stopped blooming.

I will keep that in mind for the future, as I had thought they were
looking 'nekkid' and needed to be covered.

If you do lift them all and plant the largest, be prepared to have them not
bloom the first year you divide them. I've lifted irises that were very old
with a clump of dirt attached and they didn't know they were moved and
bloomed and the ones I did lose all soil from took two years to
re-establish. But then, that's just me.............

I'll try that.

And I have to agree with Vox on the soldier thing. Single stands of anything
is sad. I'd plant them in groups, same as you'd plant bulbs of daffs or such
in 5's 7's or more. spaced apart but still in groups. Of course I'm also
the one who has no spaces between her plants in her constipated fairy beds.,
too.......g

*laughs*.

Well, I have one of each iris of a particular type and I'm rather
hoping they'll spread out over time. If I put them into groups, I
think they'll just crowd themselves that much faster, and I don't know
if I'll have enough to fill in the whole bed. I mean, enough to fill
in the bed in spaced clumps.

Although, maybe if I lift the rhizomes from around the mailbox, I can
fill things out that way.

Gwen