The rule is to divide and replant after flowering. I have had some bearded irises in various parts of my zone 5 Great Lakes region with hot humid summers and alternately periods of drought and excessive wetness in summer for 42 years without any coddling. Tough little plants. There were instances when rhizomes made it through the winter on top of the ground where I left some and forgot about them. The only things that would do them in would be EXCESSIVE moisture in winter and iris borers. If you plant in slightly raised beds, you can get rid of of the moisture problem. Borers are a problem nowadays since all systemic insecticides have been banned by our leftist government in Ontario for a home gardener ( tones and tones of the same stuff dumped on our farm fields is OK. How is that for hypocrisy?) They need to be planted very shallow with some of the rhizome exposed. That said, they are very forgiving plants. As the other members mentioned, even the dried up ones from the box store or the ones that mail order nurseries insist on sending at the end of September will make it with some more care, perhaps planted in pots for the first winter and kept in a cold greenhouse? Bea Zone 5 Ontario -----Original Message----- From: T O Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2014 10:18 PM To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org Subject: Re: [pbs] Bearded Iris hybrids Brian, Where I live in summer dry southern Oregon I have had the most success making divisions in late summer before the rains come and initiate new growth. Not sure when that would be for you. -Travis _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com/