Irises have done fine for me in containers in NE zone 5. I do use pretty large containers.

Sorry you're stuck moving them now, it has to be dissapointing.

Good luck,

Robin

I'll second what Robin said - they should be fine. The only problem I've had over-wintering stuff in pots (irises and other perennials) is over-exposure (I was forced to put them on a 2nd story balcony one year - bad idea!) and critters digging in the pots (after bugs and worms, I guess...? They left the plants themselves alone.)

I have had excellent luck over-wintering things in pots in our attached, unheated (occasionally dips below freezing in there) garage. Keeping the pots from freezing and thawing repeatedly is key, and the garage does that and protects the pots from critters.

Sorry that you have to move them at all. I know how you feel about losing your gravel road. Grrr...

Diana

Containers it is, I guess. I'm not looking forward to this job...

WW

Weedwoman,

First, my sympathies in losing your dirt road and having to dig up your irises now, of all times.

Just want to add that I've had some good results with irises in partial shade (some sun, some dappled shade). Not as prolific as the ones in full sun, but I haven't much choice since we have a lot of tall, high branched oaks here that cast a dappled shade, a lot of it is from neighbors' trees. So if you run out of containers, or just want to give it a whirl, you could try a few in that veggie garden ... if there's any space to spare.

Diane

Truthfully, the veggie garden is too shady for decent veggies, too. And I think this summer it will be full of pots of things relocated from the flower garden until I have a chance to re-design the yard. Even the original iris bed wasn't really 'full' full sun. The nice thing about these older suburbs is also the problem with these older suburbs - lots of trees. But thanks for the suggestion. It will be interesting to see which ones survive all this.

WW

My dear weedwoman, so sorry about your luck of the draw. Call it progress. I bought a house 4 years ago and the yard was full of clumps of irises. I think they are German, definately bearded and beautiful blue and some lavender. In re-doing and re-organizing some of the plantings in the yard ,some of the irises got handed out to neighbors, given to co-workers and moved to other areas of the yard, all seem to have lived and thrived. Try some in a shaded area, they don't seem to mind a little shade they just don't spread as fast. And for containers, try some cheap plastic trash cans, bathroom size, you can pick those up cheap at yard sales and thrift stores. I know you'll do ok. Best wishes, aunt millie

A country road with so many irises. Sigh. You paint a lovely picture! What a shame you have to move them.

Maybe you could consider cutting down some trees?

I have several pines that are getting so large as to become a real problem. I have trimmed the hell out of them but my saw only reaches so high.

The pair I have in back are getting so big that all the grass under the sloping grade had died and erosion is starting to occur. At least one of them has to go. Even Lilly of the valley has a hard time back there its so damn dark.

I also have another pine in front that is small enough for me to cut down myself. It is making my formerly sunny spot dappled shade; also un-cool!

I own a condo (with my own limited gardens just outside) so I can only request the trees be removed. I I am hoping the lawn service we employ can do it without too much expense for the association.

If you own than you can darn well do as you please. Lucky you

If I were you, I would consider cutting down the smaller trees that are giving you to much shade. Just a few less trees might make the difference. Also do a real trimming job on the trees you are going to keep. I would chop all the lower branches I could reach.

Got a handy young man to do it for you? I would not try to cut down trees that are too big and by to big I would say that any tree you could not drag into the woods once chopped is to big to cut down. A professional should do that. That can be dangerous exsp. around electrical wires.

Also you might giving away some to your friends. I think it would make a very thoughtful gift. I wish I had to many.

Well, they're all out of the ground and most of them are in containers; I have 10 27" flowerboxes and I have to go back to Lowes and buy a couple more. And boy, do I have a lot of rhizomes to give away. They needed divided more than I realized. Everybody I know is going to have irises in their yard. (If any of you live in or near Bergen County, NJ and want some, email me!) It's amazing how they 'travel', too; the old bed was 3 feet wide and I alternated them in 2 rows; and where the original tags were and where the plants ended up was pretty interesting. From now on I re-tag everything every summer while it's in bloom. And I know I had some borer/rot in there last summer which I ignored, but there's no sign of rot at all now. (I soaked everything in clorox water to be on the safe side, but I'm not sure I really needed to.) Does that just go away once the weather gets cold?

And mccommas, I really don't want to cut down any more trees, my yard is so tiny as it is that I don't have many that I actually own. I think the town is going to take some down across from me on the front, though, so that part of the yard may get more sunny.

WW

Perhaps when your friends irises are in bloom every year they will think of the nice lady they got them from. A lasting gift for sure.

:)