Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump. Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2 halves
apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jo

I agree with Bob but Irises should be split straight after flowering,
also shorten the foliage to 3-4 inches above the Rhizome as this stops
them drying out and allows the roots to get going in the new area you
are planting them in. When replanting them don;t bury the Rihzomes to
deep as the Rhizomes will root off, they like there rhizomes to be
baked. Hope this help you, PS all Irses types like well drained soils.


Bob Hobden wrote:
"Jo" wrote ...
Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump. Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2
halves apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I presume you mean Tall Bearded Iris?

Sounds about right. Usually in a clump the centre is old and leafless, throw
this away and replant the young fresh outer bits, you can be quite brutal
with them (use a sharp knife) and as long as there is some roots attached to
the plant it should be OK.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

On Tue, 1 Aug 2006 23:29:56 +0100, "Bob Hobden" wrote:


"Jo" wrote ...
Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump. Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2
halves apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I presume you mean Tall Bearded Iris?

Sounds about right. Usually in a clump the centre is old and leafless, throw
this away and replant the young fresh outer bits, you can be quite brutal
with them (use a sharp knife) and as long as there is some roots attached to
the plant it should be OK.

I did exactly this last year based on what I'd seen on the telly. I also
trimmed the leaves right down. I had no confidence that I had done it
right but I had the best show of irises this year that there's ever been
in the garden. If I can do it then anyone can.
--
Paul C

jr.lightfoot wrote after
Bob Hobden replied to"Jo" who asked ...
Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump.
Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2
halves apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I presume you mean Tall Bearded Iris?

Sounds about right. Usually in a clump the centre is old and leafless,
throw
this away and replant the young fresh outer bits, you can be quite brutal
with them (use a sharp knife) and as long as there is some roots attached
to
the plant it should be OK.

I agree with Bob but Irises should be split straight after flowering,
also shorten the foliage to 3-4 inches above the Rhizome as this stops
them drying out and allows the roots to get going in the new area you
are planting them in. When replanting them don;t bury the Rhizomes to
deep as the Rhizomes will root off, they like there rhizomes to be
baked. Hope this help you, PS all Irises types like well drained soils.

I was told to split them 8 weeks after flowering by a specialist Iris
nursery which is about now. Anyway, as long as they have time to grow a bit
by the winter and put some more roots down that will be OK. Incidentally,
out of necessity we moved some of our irises from our old allotment to our
new one after Christmas last winter and they still managed to flower a bit.
I know everyone else cuts the foliage down but I usually never bother unless
it's a very windy site and they would rock in the wind. The leaves are their
power house.
The last bit about sun on the rhizomes is very important and I usually try
to point that bit towards the south and sun.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Jo wrote:
Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump. Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2 halves
apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jo


That's what I did this morning, Jo. Then brush off the earth and pull
the young growth
from the old stuff (which should be composted),cut the leaves on the
slant from about 3to 6".
and plant shallow. Water in.
I've had my irises many years and they always give a good show,

Jo wrote:

Hi Jo

Basically that is all there is too it do it in the fall and cut
back the leaves to 6 inches.




Can anyone advise me how to (successfully) divide an iris clump. Someone
told me I need to just stick the spade down the middle and pull the 2 halves
apart, then plant one half elsewhere!
Sounds a bit brutal to me. I'm frightened I might damage the plant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jo