Here are some pics of my irises this year:

Too bad that by the time everything else was blooming, Earl of Essex was on its last legs; this was its best year yet.

This shows the Batik taking over the whole section of the garden but not blooming. Sigh. The yellow one grew so tall it leaned way over -- I told DH that it was because it was lonely without the Batik for company!

These were given to me by a neighbor and must be moved soon. There are some other irises planted in there too. I'd never had irises before and had no idea about how to plant them and they are way too deeply planted, thus have never bloomed. The weeds have gotten in there so thick that we can't weed around the plants any more so we are going to make a separate raised bed for all the irises. Once all the irises are moved then I can get into the lilies to separate them, too. I knew all the stuff in the raised bed was going to spread, I just didn't anticipate everything outgrowing it in just a couple of years!! Jeesh!!!!!!

Your yard is just so beautiful and green. And your flower bed is delightful.

There are some irises that spread so fast they have to be divided fast. Could that be the problem with your Batik?

It's possible. I really don't know much about irises, that's why I thought I'd ask here if anyone might know about it. When should I dig them up? Is it OK now? I just realized last night that in addition to the Campanula and Stokesia, it has swallowed a Verbascum, too. Enough is enough already!!!!!!

It's best to divide in August, I believe, but if you are losing plants to them I would consider them garden thugs and yank them out wherever they are taking over.

If you allow the rhizomes to dry out a little they will keep for awhile. Perhaps you could post in the plant exchange and see if there are any takers.

I have transplanted irises at this time of year with good luck.

As far as dividing, I must divide some fast growers every two to three years, because I plant the rhizomes close together. The recommendation seems to be to plant them a foot apart so that you do not need to divide as often. They need to be divided when the rhizomes crawl all over one another and lift out of the soil.

The proper time to divide iris is the heat of summer, I don't like to dig in July/August, so I wait 2 or 3 weeks after bloom & divide. I've divided even during bloom time up til mid November in my zone & they have grown fine. You do lose spring bloom if you wait too late in the year though.

Your photos are great! Waht lovely iris!

Sorry to hear about your Batik, mine is reliable. In fact, it won a division award for me this year at the iris show.

Thanks, all! OK, so this weekend's to-do list just grew. I really do appreciate the help (and I'm sure the swallowed plants would add their thanks if they could type!)

Edie

Hi Edie,

Can I ask, what's the tall off-white and lavender variety in the first photo? It makes me think of 'Mother Earth, but seems more "greyed".

Hello:Edie,
Your irises are pretty!What is the name of the pink irises?
I live in North central OH also.
I always divide my irises around end of July here.

Could it be iris borers? I dug up one of mine that did not bloom this year to find young iris borers in the leaves.

Here is a link that might be useful: Iris Borers

I wish I could remember what all the varities are. They were a "Reblooming Collection" from ... ummm ... Breck's? Springhill? I think it was one or the other. I know the Earl of Essex is the purple-and-white, and one of the pink ones is Beverly Sills, but I can't remember any of the others at all, sorry :^(

I will check for the borers when I dig up the plants this weekend, thanks so much!

Edie

I remember seeing those reblooming collections from breck's. I think they often included Mother Earth & Harvest of memories as well.