dividing Iris bucharica

John Lonsdale john@johnlonsdale.net
Tue, 13 May 2003 09:14:05 PDT
Judy,

Wait until they are fully dormant then put a spade under and around the
clump and lift them en bloc.  Then just wash the soil off and carefully pull
them apart - keeping as many of the thong-like roots as possible attached to
the basal plate of the bulbs.  Don't worry if you snap some of the roots
half way down - they go deep and it is almost impossible not to.  You won't
do any harm, and bulbs with no roots at all will regrow them.  I lift and
divide mine on a three year cycle - they can indeed rot out if you leave
them too long.  The old foliage hangs around for quite a while once they are
dormant so you'll have no trouble seeing where they are.

J.

Dr John T Lonsdale
407 Edgewood Drive,
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341,  USA

Phone: 610 594 9232
Fax:      801 327 1266

Visit "Edgewood" - The Lonsdale Garden at http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/

Zone 6b


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