What do I do with a bag of irises?

Elaine Katkocin
by Elaine Katkocin
a frien dig them up in the fall/ winter and handed them out. How should I store them? When can I plant them. I am in zone 6/7. Thanks.
  12 answers
  • 2dogal 2dogal on Mar 23, 2018

    Remove the dead leaves from the rhizomes (root like things) and plant them now.

  • Amanda Amanda on Mar 23, 2018

    Hi Elaine. You can store them in a bag filled with peat moss. Keep them in a area with low humidity. I put my bulbs in the basement. You can plant Irises as soon as the ground is thawed.

  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 24, 2018

    dig your planting hole, grab an extra hand full of dirt. put the handful of dirt in the hole -mounded up. spread the roots over the mini mound. put dirt over the roots its okay to see part of the root with the leaves. plant them on the shallower side. my uncle would dip his iris rhizomes in full strength bleach before planting. kills the pests that like to snack on iris bulbs.

  • 0074576469 0074576469 on Mar 24, 2018

    Absolutely leave the top of the rhizomes uncovered by soil. The rhizomes have to get light or they won’t bloom

  • Eloise Eloise on Mar 24, 2018

    Irises are hardy in planting zones 3-10. If you don't have a yard, create a perennial container garden. If you live in zone 3 or 4, they won't survive in a container, but should be fine in zones 5-10.

  • Pegg77 Pegg77 on Mar 24, 2018

    In Colorado, my Mom was given a paper bag of Iris from a friend. Mom put them on the back side of the house where there was no direct sun. It is where she threw all her yard junk. The iris planted themselves and about 2-3 years later she had beautiful flowers.

  • CORALYNN H THOMPSON CORALYNN H THOMPSON on Mar 24, 2018

    Suggestion, space them out about 18" apart each. They fill in every year. Iris need to be divided every 2 to 3 yrs when they start crowding. They are amazing survivors. I have even put them in low areas, where I put good compostable yard waste, to fill deep depressions in our 3 acres. Then they say "Thank You" a year or so later with amazing blooms. You can make many new friends by sharing these Poor Man Orchids!

  • Christel Christel on Mar 25, 2018

    Leave them in the brown paper bag until you're ready to plant them. Zone 6/7 should be ready to plant in April. They won't bloom this year but you'll enjoy them next Spring. Careful where you plant them, they're good at multiplying! :)

  • Nan32848744 Nan32848744 on Mar 25, 2018

    I leave mine in the ground when they die I just remove all the dead growth when I see green coming made it threw the snow

  • Han11807599 Han11807599 on Mar 26, 2018

    I'd plant hem now, at least a foot apart where they'll get at least half a days worth of sunshine.