Is it too late to separate and transplant bearded iris in the Midwest?

Fall is actually a fantastic time to divide and transplant iris.



Irises multiply out from the center, which over time, becomes dry and dead. Every three to four years, they need to be dug up, divided into new plants and replanted to provide the most flowers. The best time for replanting is in September or October.



Cut off dead blossoms and dead bloom stalks when the iris has stopped blossoming, but don't cut back the leaves until they begin to turn brown in the fall. The leaves are needed to produce next year's blooms. When you do cut, leave a fan shape about six inches long. Feed your irises a teaspoon of bone meal every fall and when you replant. You can feed again a month before they usually bloom if you like, but they are quite tolerant of just one feeding.

Is it too late to separate and transplant bearded iris in the Midwest?
I do my bearded irises in August and September, since they are such early bloomers. You will want to wait until next year, in my opinion (I'm in NC and have to wait - too cold right now). You see, bearded irises come from the rootlike bulb thing. When you divide them, the pieces do not necessarily have roots. You want enough moisture and warmth for the iris to grow roots before the winter, so that the bulb thing does not rot. Since they are planted so shallow, this is an issue.



In August or September next year, cut each growing section off with a butcher knife or similar sharp blade. You'll want to retain enough of the root tuber thing to provide energy to the plant, so ensure you have healthy chunks. Cut off leaves at 6" mark. I like to do it in a diagonal, so it doesn't look so weird when I replant. Then, and this is the important part - dunk the entire piece in a solution of 1 part bleach, 10 parts warm water. (The warm is there so your hands don't freeze). This will help cauterize the open wound and deter bugs. Plant 1" down, about 18" apart. Spread bone meal. Water. Water well over the next month, in fact.
Reply:I'm in Ohio and it's too cold. Doing so would put them under additional stress during winter. Wait until after they bloom next year and separate them once the foliage starts to die back or anytime after that.
Reply:it is not cold down here in south Texas and the lady at the nursery said they wouldn't be getting in iris bulbs until January 1st. Would you like to sell some and send to me????? what kind??...I am in zone 9 about 20 miles off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico (actually it is a bay until you get out into the waters of the gulf) I am dead serious if your particular cultivar can be naturalized here.