How to Transplant Iris Rhizomes
Much like bulbs, the purpose of a rhizome is to act as an energy warehouse for a perennial plant. After the flowering period the iris plant continues to engage in photosynthesis through its leaves to send energy to the rhizome for the next year's bloom. Great care must be taken when transferring the rhizome because not only is it the storehouse for one plant, but it also carries the eyes that will generate offspring. Transplant the irises after they have gone dormant and their leaves have started yellowing to avoid shocking the plants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden shears
- Shovel
- Garden hose
- Sharp knife
- Bucket of 10 percent bleach water
Instructions
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1
Trim back the fans of the iris (the green blades) with the garden shears to reduce water loss and shock to the plants. Ken Druse of "Making More Plants" suggests cutting down to 6 to 8 inches.
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2
Dig out each rhizome clump with your shovel. It is wise to give the clump a wide berth as the rhizome may be much larger than you suspect. Iris rhizomes grow out from the middle, so chopping it off at the end would mean damaging the chance to have an offspring plant.
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3
Spray the rhizome with your garden hose to free it of dirt and prevent it from drying out.
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4
Examine the clump for unhealthy growth or disease. Cut off any dark spots with your clean knife. If the rhizome is very large and has many eyes (red spots from where new plants will form), decide if you will divide it. Some irises perform better with regular division.
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5
Cut eye sections off if you have decided to propagate the plant. Each section should be the size of a small potato.
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6
Dip each lily rhizome section into the bleach solution to kill off the infections lilies are prone to before replanting.
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7
Prepare the ground where the lilies will be transplanted. If they are going to be stored for future planting, you will need to cure them by drying them in a dark room first.
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8
Make a shallow trench with your shovel, and place the rhizomes on top. Iris rhizomes enjoy direct sunlight, so they do not need to be completely buried. Tamp the rhizome into the ground just far enough that it will not become dislodged by animals or weather, and so that all the hairy roots are protected. If you have buried the rhizome up to the leafy green part, it is too deep.
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9
Water the new planting.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are worried about animals disturbing your rhizomes while the roots establish, consider making small cages for the plants out of poultry wire and covering them.
Transplanting your rhizomes during early spring or when they have started sprouting new buds may result in shock to the plant. If you must move the plants once the roots have established, be certain the rhizome is not allowed to dry out.
