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Step 1
Dig the clump of irises up carefully using a spade. Cut the leaves off the plant approximately 3 inches up from the rhizomes. The rhizomes are horizontal stems that grow partially or fully under ground. They serve as a storage organ for holding nutrition for the plant. The roots grow out of the rhizomes.
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Step 2
Wash the soil off of the rhizomes and roots of the iris so you can easily see what you are working on. Then cut the rhizomes apart using a sharp bladed knife. Be sure that each new plant contains a fan of leaves, a healthy rhizome and several big roots. A healthy rhizome looks a lot like a potato when you cut into it.
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Step 3
Locate the area that you want to transplant the iris into it. Be sure to choose a spot in the garden that gives the irises room to grow some, before you divide them again. Dig a hole in the new spot that is large enough to accommodate the rhizome and the roots.
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Step 4
Form a mound of soil in the center of your newly dug hole. The mound of soil should be just below ground level. Carefully place the rhizome on top of the soil mound and arrange the roots in the hole around the mound. Fill the hole with soil, covering the roots and the rhizome.
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Step 5
Mulch around the newly transplanted iris, with straw or grass clippings, to protect it during the winter months. After the first year, mulching for winter protection is not typically necessary unless you have found your plants to not be winter hardy.
