irises - digging up and replanting

 I've a little patch of irises which have been fine for a few years but
the weeds growing between them have become almost impossible to
control so I resolved to dig the whole lot up (I realise this might be
a bit late in the season) and replant.

A lot of the rhizomes have broken off a developing plant.  See pic:-

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10508583/im%201.jpg

-should these simply be discarded or do they have a future for a new
plant?

Here is a pic of a new devloping iris.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10508583/im%202.jpg

 I noted in one youtube video the presenter trimmed the long roots
quite short.  Is their any advantage in doing that?

I have quite a few of these

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10508583/im%203.jpg

 - which are tiny and without any rhizome to speak of.  Do these
normally survive being dug up and replanted?

Many thanks if anyone can offer some advice...

 

"bob" wrote...

Throw those all away.


Trim off all the old rhizome with a sharp knife, that's the dark bits
without viable roots


Yes they do normally survive as long as you keep the slugs off.
I often pot bits like that up until the spring by which time they are
usually romping away.

It's always a good idea to dig up and replant every 3 years, throwing away
all the weak and old stuff. Best done about 2 months after flowering so they
can get established before the worst of the winter. That said I have to dig
mine all up on the allotment this winter and move them.  :-(
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

 wrote:


I'm most grateful for the above - thanks so much!

If you've the time, I've a couple more questions..

...Roughly what kind of spacing would you recommend when replanting?

...on the assumption that I end up with a surplus, how long do you
think these will survive before replanting?  I'd like to give some to
a friend and as a channel-crossing foot passenger I'd prefer to travel
light, just chuck them into a bag rather than having to carry pots of
soil  they've been planted in.  I'm thinking in a week or two.  Is
there a risk of them drying out?

 

"bob" wrote ((SNIP))

I normally give them about two feet but then I plant two or three at a time
at each station.


Personally I would not try to keep them unplanted for so long. Perhaps a
couple of days at most.
Can you not plant them somewhere else for a while?
Anyway, to transport them dig them up, clean them of soil, cut the leaves
down by a half and wrap the plants in damp paper ensuring the roots are
covered, that's how they are sent out by specialist nurseries.
The person the other end needs to plant or pot them up asap. When I have
received plants like that I pot them up until the next spring so I can give
them some TLC for a few months because my experience of planting them
straight out in the garden is not good.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

 wrote:


Yes, I'll find a temporary spot.


.. what sort of TLC?