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Georgia Gardener

African Iris (Dietes) winter question

17 years ago

I need advice:

We planted African Iris(Dietes) in planters for the spring and summer. We've enjoyed it a lot and we would like to save them for next year. From our research, they are hardy to 15 - 20 degrees (zone 8b), and we are 7a (north of Atlanta).

One site said to store the rhizomes in peat or vermiculite at 41-50Â°F (5-10Â°C), or to place container plants indoors at 50-65Â°F (10-18Â°C). We would be willing to try the inside route, but we don't get very much sun indoors. We could also store the plants (rhizomes) in a garage, but I'm not sure how to do that. Would I dig up the plant and just store the roots?

Anybody have experience in this area?

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Comments (2)

rosiew
17 years ago
Woody, I've not had the dietes - want some now after looking around the web. Lovely. Have you collected any seed? Said to self sow readily.

Have stored caladium bulbs and think the method would also apply to dietes. Dig when the plants have begun dying back, shake off the soil, let dry on newspaper then remove foliage. Then place the rhizomes in peat, separating them. I use cardboard boxes for storage. Will be interested to hear advice from others and then your results next spring!

Rosie in Sugar Hill
woody_ga
Original Author
17 years ago
Ours was in the shade in containers. We grew it for its leaves. Beautiful and long. But since it was in the shade we had no flowers and no seed. We're actually thinking of growing it the sun next year, so we also have those beautiful flowers.
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