Transplanting Irises
 

Hi! Please forgive a lurker's abrupt intrusion. : ) A friend is coming over
today and wants to dig up some of my overgrown irises and give them a new home.
Is it safe to do that in a desert climate with the heat of summer just upon
us? I moved some this spring, and I'm not sure they're going to come back.

Any help appreciated.

Nancy in Boise

Transplanting Irises
 

Nanceemo wrote:

Hi! Please forgive a lurker's abrupt intrusion. : ) A friend is coming over
today and wants to dig up some of my overgrown irises and give them a new home.
Is it safe to do that in a desert climate with the heat of summer just upon
us? I moved some this spring, and I'm not sure they're going to come back.

Clearly not the best conditions, but irises tend to be tough plants. What you
might see is they could take a year or two off blooming to recuperate from the
stress. A little extra water and attention would be nice.

Transplanting Irises
 

I had to move over 300 IRIS last summer in the middle of the 100+ temps here in
the High Mojave Desert, only lost about 1/4th of them and many where out of the
ground for days at a time. If they take them home and plant them right away and
give water to them, they should make it. Many times the tops will seem to die
back, as the old roots are dieing, but the rhizome makes new roots and they come
back just when you thing they are dead.

But for your own info, the best time to do anything with Iris is in the fall.


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"Nanceemo" wrote in message
...
Hi! Please forgive a lurker's abrupt intrusion. : ) A friend is coming over
today and wants to dig up some of my overgrown irises and give them a new
home.
Is it safe to do that in a desert climate with the heat of summer just upon
us? I moved some this spring, and I'm not sure they're going to come back.

Any help appreciated.

Nancy in Boise


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Transplanting Irises
 

I'd dig *all* the iris up, pick out all the best ones, replant some for
yourself and some for your friend. Should do okay, if they're planted well
and you cut the greenery back to help it conserve it's energy (4 - 6
inches). And keep them well watered considering your climate. We've dug up
irises here when it was in the 90s F and sunny, and they came back fine the
next year to bloom. They seem almost as tollerant of abuse as the daylilies.
;)


If you're really worried, maybe you could plant the pieces in pots so your
friend can put them in a slightly shady spot on the porch or wherever until
better weather arrives for settling them into the bed.

Hope that helps,

Ali



"Nanceemo" wrote in message
...
Hi! Please forgive a lurker's abrupt intrusion. : ) A friend is coming
over
today and wants to dig up some of my overgrown irises and give them a new
home.
Is it safe to do that in a desert climate with the heat of summer just
upon
us? I moved some this spring, and I'm not sure they're going to come
back.

Any help appreciated.

Nancy in Boise