Lifting and Dividing Irises
We recently had the opportunity to learn how to successfully lift and divide irises from local expert gardener Anne Ritcey.
Thank you so much for walking us through the entire process and generously sharing your expertise with us. We truly appreciate your time and guidance.
Here are the step by step instructions:
- A MESS!!. A clump that is very overdue for splitting!
- Dig up the overgrown clump and wash it off.
- This rhizome (the mother) will never bloom again. The 2 daughters have the potential to bloom next year. There can be many more daughters. For your own garden you may leave the mother on but realizing it doesn’t rebloom. I generally just replant the large daughters.
- This is where you cut the daughter from mother.
- Soak in a 10 percent bleach water solution for 5 minutes. Afterwards, wash them off with hose water to make sure the iris is very clean.
- Set the iris out in the shade to seal off the cuts. Kept cool (e.g. basement) they can last a couple of weeks before replanting but sooner is better.
Here’s an example of a mother with many, many daughters.
(All photos and instructions are provided, with permission, by Anne Ritcey.)
Perfect timing. I need to do mine TksCharOn Jul 17, 2026,
Thank you Anne Ritcey for all the instruction and information.
Also thank you for allowing us to try the process while we were there.
I also appreciated the information on the Siberian Iris division as mine do have the Inner circle and need much attention. This is going to be very helpful.
Happy Gardening.
Carol Allen