I posted back in spring that a landscaper mistakenly "weeded" my iris beds, spraying a herbicide to kill grasses and weeds in between the plants. Some overspray drift resulted in mutated blooms or aborted bloomstalks. Now that we are in the hot weather months, the irises, particularly those planted last fall (first years) look barely alive. In potting up some of them to make room for a deck renovation, I am noticing some of the plants barely have any roots at all, though the rhizome may have limited green leaves. I suppose the poison designed to kill the roots of the grasses destroyed the iris roots.

So, I ask you w/expertise: should I replant these same rootless rhizomes? Should I assume that once compost is mixed with the other dirt that the toxins are out of the soil? Should I nurse these paltry looking rhizomes back to health in separate containers? Or should I simply compost them and buy new plants (some are old varieties, though many were new introductions of $50 each or so).

I do appreciate your feedback as many of you are growers of vast experience and knowledge.

Thanks,

Mike in SC, Zone 8