Can I cut back and dig up Iris plants... and such?

Question

I am in Michigan. They are still green- and about 2 feet high. They have not bloomed since late spring.
Can I dig up the roots/blubs now? How do I store/handle for winter? Never done anything like this before.

Answer 1

Yes. Iris have rhizomes. Use a spade to dig them, and cut into sections. Keep the new, outer layer and discard the central portion.

Iris should be replanted immediately after division, not stored over winter. Other plants like canna lily, glads, dahlia are not winter hardy and must be lifted in September and stored in a cool, dark place for the winter.

See the links below for detailed description.

Answer 2

Bearded Iris, can be divided when they get overgrown or every three to four years. They're not bothered by the cold, but you might have to make sure that they don't heave out of the soil from thawing & freezing if their roots aren't fully established, so transplant as soon as you can. It's usually done in July or August. Trim off & discard any dried up foliage & segments that are mushy or riddled with holes. Separate healthy rhizomes into segments with one fan of leaves and several feeding roots. Cut the leaves back to six inches. When setting the new plant, spread the roots out in the soil and position the top third of the rhizome above the soil surface & they should be OK. They'll bloom only once a year if they are not rebloomers.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1041.html

Culture of the beardless irises differs somewhat from culture of the bearded irises. They can be transplanted in the fall or in early spring. Don't let the roots dry out & water heavily after transplanting. Set them slightly deeper than the tall bearded. Japanese iris should be planted in a distinct "depression" in heavy soil to assist in supplying moisture to the plant. Siberians and the Pacific Coast Natives can tolerate light shade but the Spurias, Japanese and Louisianas demand full sun. Louisianas and Japanese require moist conditions during the summer months while the Pacific Coast Natives enjoy a very low humidity and dry soil no matter how hot it may get. All, except Louisianas, should be planted in a permanent spot where they can remain for many years as they resent being disturbed. Louisianas tend to "creep" and therefore, should be tended to every few years.
http://www.irises.org/growing.htm
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Being in Michigan, I would think that the ground would be cold enough to "store" the bulbs during the winter....
If they are green now, I wouldn't dig them up. Wait until they die back, if you are going to uproot them.
Experiment... take a few out and store them in a dry,cold area. Leave a few in the ground. Mine always die back in the winter, but come alive in the spring....(but then again, I am not in Michigan.)

Answer 4

Better to wait till they go brown. The rhizome (or bulbs if they are dutch of reticulated Iris) will store the food in the leaves fro spring.
But you can do it anytime. No need to cut off the leaves.

I'm not sure about in your zone but you can probably leave them in if you want.