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Bearded Iris division
AnniD
Posts: 12,583
I have just divided my bearded iris, spookily just as Alan Titchmarsh is doing in the July issue of GW Magazine.
However, instead of replanting them all, I have put some into 4 inch pots with a view to giving them to a local charity shop to sell. I have left the rhizomes exposed and they are in a sunny spot to "bake" (if we ever get any sun 
). As soon as the roots hopefully start showing through the bottom of the pots, I will pass them on. Does anyone know what the latest date would be for planting them out in the garden (I live in Glos). All advice welcome !
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Before the frosts is best but I did the same last year and have kept some of them in pots through the winter with a view to making a new iris feature for which I am not quite ready. Some have rotted off but most are fine.
Thanks obelixx, hopefully they will have rooted well enough before then !
I meant fine in the sense they're alive. What they really want is to hang on long enough till I can get them into a well drained border with sun to bake their rhizomes so they can make flowers for the following season. Even the ones I have in te ground are looking abit sad since Flaming June turned out t be one long downpour.
Mine are in transit, waiting for permanent homes. I certainly wouldn't put them in pots for display as they have such a short flowering time and they need both to have the rhizomes baked for producing the next show as well as other plants around for contrast with the sword-like foliage.
Display pots need to have a long period of interest from a succession of flowers and good foliage or else need to be mono planted and then tucked away out of sight when that plant has done it's thing. In that case I'd put irises in wiser, shallower pots and mix some grit into good JI3 compost for them.