Two Saturdays ago, we decided to finally divide our irises (<<a phrase I only thought old ladies said). You may recall some of the posts I talked about them. We did not know they were there until we had a pecan tree taken down about two years ago. That gave the area enough sun to force the bulbs up. However, we noticed they did not bloom and was not sure what they were until this past Spring. We had one lonely bloom. (Click here for the picture). So, we researched yellow irises and found a plethora of information about how to divide them, how to plant them, when to do it, etc. The 8 years we have lived here, we have not divided them. According to the LSU Ag Center, you are supposed to divide irises in September/October while it is still a little warm and before it gets too cold. They need a little sun and getting used to their new flower bed before it gets too cold. So, with two tutorials and lots of pictures, we culled them. It just about gave me a heart attack. I was sure that I was doing it wrong. However, I was following the tutorials and what I was doing matched what they were showing!
We had so many irises that probably could have replanted half of the city’s flower beds! I gave 2-3 boxes away to friends and established a good many back in the area they were in. I made a little gravel place for the City meter reader so they would not have to step in the dirt bed.
I guess I won’t find out if I did it correctly until next Spring! If they live, I did ok. If they die…I will be sad!!! The picture directly below is the bed of irises, right under it is what we culled. Below that, are pictures of the new bed. I guess you can check back next Spring to see what will have! Hopefully they will bloom. Sometimes they do not right after they are divided, so it may take 2 years before we see the fruits of our labor.
Washing the rhizomes and soaking them in water to rehydrate the roots before planting.
Here are the tutorials we used:
Perpetual Renovator 
