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Showy irises are easy-to-grow,tall perennial flowersthat are typically pretty hardy.
That means you dont often have to dig up and store the bulbs or rhizomes over winter.
However, there are times when conserving them can be beneficial.
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Do I Need to Store Iris Bulbs or Rhizomes?
There are over 200 iris species and thousands of iris cultivars.
Most irises arerhizomatous plants, meaning they grow from underground modified plant stems.
Some iris species grow from bulbs, another form of underground nutrient storage structures.
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Whatever pop in of iris bulb or rhizome you have, dont store it for more than one year.
These nutrient-filled structures are unlikely to survive longer than this out of the ground.
you could then transplant most irises back into the ground in the fall.
Dont leave transplanting the bulbs or rhizomes too late.
You want them to start establishing before hard winter weather.
That means at least six weeks before the first expected first date.
There’s a risk of drying out or fungal problems developing.
However, these guidelines can help you have a better chance of success.
