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Step-by-Step Guide to Dividing Bearded Irises 

By stacy ling

Gardening Tips & Tricks

Learn how and when to divide bearded irises to ensure healthy plants and abundant blooms. This step-by-step guide makes dividing irises easy for both beginners and experienced gardeners.

The best time to divide bearded irises is after flowering when they go dormant during late summer.

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To reduce plant stress and encourage strong root growth, cut the foliage back to roughly a third of its height before dividing.

Carefully dig up the clumps of rhizomes using a shovel or spade. Be gentle to avoid damaging them.

Then cut the rhizomes into smaller sections, making sure each section has at least one fan of leaves and a few roots.

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Discard any damaged or diseased rhizomes because you don’t want to plant  those. Keep rhizomes that have healthy roots and one or two leaf fans.

Next, replant the divided rhizomes. When planting, dig a shallow hole  that’s roughly 10″ diamter by 4″ deep. Add soil to the center of the  hold so you can set the rhizome on top and spread the roots out.

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Then backfill with good garden soil but make sure the rhizome top is  visible to the surface of the soil. When you plant them too deeply, they  may not flower.

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Visit the blog to learn more about how to grow bearded iris and enjoy the flowers.

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