Things You'll Need:
- Garden spade
- Hose
- Sharp knife
-
Step 1
Dig up and divide your bearded iris either after the last spring frost or eight weeks after blooming. Dividing the iris before blooming means you'll probably lose the season's bloom.
-
Step 2
Use a garden spade to pry up the bearded iris clumps from the ground. Make sure to pull up the entire root system.
-
Step 3
Hose off the plant to remove dirt and debris. Cut the rhizome attachments apart using a sharp knife. Throw away all dead, dying, mushy and diseased rhizomes.
-
Step 4
Preserve all the plump roots, but toss any that are dead. Also remove the rhizomes with inadequate sized roots.
-
Step 5
Leave the majority of the leaves on the plant after dividing to provide adequate nourishment. Only discard the brown and yellow leaves.
-
Step 6
Do not replant your bearded iris until the rhizomes have a chance to dry and the cut wounds time to heal.
-
Step 7
Drain the soil and properly fertilize the area where you will replant your bearded iris. Test your soil first to determine the type of fertilizer needed. Make sure the area offers the plant at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.
-
Step 8
Plant your bearded iris at least 2 feet apart to prevent overcrowding. As the mother rhizomes produce new rhizomes, the root system will increase. Make sure you give each plant plenty of room to grow. Over time, your recently re-planted bearded iris will need dividing again.
