What you describe is what ferral pigs do in California. Iris are one of their favorite foods. They are demolishing the native iris populations here. They plow through just about anything like lawns looking for grubs, worms. But root plants like irises are particular favorites.

Cats only dig them up and rarely. Squirrels dig them up very often. When they smell fresh dug earth they think " Wow another squirrel planted something good here !!!" My theory anyway. I have seen them chewing on rhizomes many time first cutting roots off. Then I have found more damaged in the same way. I have had them dig the same rhizome up 6 days in a row.

Mike G

gophers, eat them like apples~ crunch crunch crunch...

NO! NO!
For a collection like yours, I recommend a pellet gun and poison. If you get the ones who know what your iris taste like right away, you may be safe for several years, until the next adventurous type starts digging.

Oh. Did I mention I think it is squirrels? We have an introduced species, the fox squirrel, and they LOVE iris rhizomes. I have a friend nearby that has lost every iris and succulent in his garden to squirrels.

Carlos,

I live in zone 5 and have no damage from a family of rabbits, tons of squirrels(lots of oak trees) and cats roam often to no affect. I did find that the hyacinth bulbs I planted last year got pulled and eaten by squirrels. If I can help replace anything you lost, let me know. You might want to list anything you lost on the forum. You are so helpful to all of us maybe we can return the favor.

Irisawe

Carlos ~ That is really terrible! I hope you find the culprit so that it doesn't happen again (maybe the squirrels).

Shadow

How awful...a massacre...I would likely cry.

You might check out getting a Trap, similar to those at the link below. Hardware and big box stores carry them in various sizes.

I wish you well in discovering what the culprit is, and then in getting rid of it/them.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Set Animal Traps

Thanks for the responses everyone. It seems that the squirrels are the culprits, but for now, I'm trying to keep a lookout.

As for now...it looks as if most will survive. Several of my Superstition, Blue J Iris and Snowpeak Iris were damaged. We'll see how they do in a few weeks. The only one I know that is MIA with no trace is ZULU WARRIOR, an old historic which I doubt anyone still grows. My TILLAMOOK was also badly damaged, also another rare historic and a Schreiner. Wish me luck.

Carlos

BAH!

Just before I typed my previous post, my Iris were doing fine. As soon as I finished I was hit AGAIN!!! Now my SANTANA is complete gone! I'm checking out of my window every few seconds now as of typing this message.

Before I began typing in the previous post, there were a flock of city doves snacking away at bugs. While typing, they all of a sudden flew away...didn't think much of it, stupid me. It's was probably the culprit out loose again. Would squirrels scare away birds though? Seems sort of odd.

Carlos

Oh my...for a really quick and inexpensive fix, you might try a large plastic owl placed strategically, or even a couple of them.
I've not noticed my squirrels really scaring birds away from the feeder anyway. The birds just sit and patiently wait until the squirrels are finished and leave.

Sue

Can you put chicken wire on top of your iris beds? If it's a squirrel, this might deter it. Perhaps a hot pepper spray on your irises? I wonder if there is a "squirrel away" type of spray just like they have for cats/dogs. Sorry for you losses.

I found the culprit today as I was taking out the garbage. It is a squirrel and I caught it red-handed about ready to take my CARAMBA (Keppel 1975) rhizome with it. It dropped it when it saw me and ran off before I could grab a rock and throw it.

I did another survey of Iris for damage. Only one other got hit...and it HAD to hit that one...it was CHARM BRACELET (Schreiner 1984). It only ate the leaves...the rhizome is still intact. HOPEFULLY it will grow still because if it dies I'll never be able to obtain another piece since the company that sold it to me gave me their last one and it's not available through any other grower.

If there's anyone that is still growing CHARM BRACELET. I would even trade one of my newly received Iris for a start of it.

Thanks for all the squirrel tips. I'm going to try that "Repels All" to hopefully get rid of them.

Carlos

Repels all works so well.. Check this out. Some critter was eating my moon flower vine, and not touching the morning glories growing on the other side. But I bought some repels all and followed directions. This is Before and After.
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About a week after the spray, (which stinks horribly but does no harm to plants or animals, and the smell isn't that bad after a day or two. And only needs to be applied every two months) A rabbit started snacking on my sweet potato vine, and I sprayed it down. The rabbit doesn't come by anymore. lol

Carlos, we used to have a tremendous problem with squirrels in our yard. We have a huge oak tree on one side of it, the largest in the neighborhood, so it was like a magnet to them. We'd only lived in this house a few months (we've been here about 1-1/2 years now) before I decided it was the squirrels or me. The battle began. After lots of tries with different strategies, we've finally got no squirrel population in our yard at all. They're in the neighboring areas, but they don't wander over here anymore. First, we pulled all the squirrel nests down from the oak tree. Second, we spread cayenne pepper all over the areas where they were digging. They do not like the taste of the cayenne at all!!! Cayenne is pretty cheap too, and can be purchased in the huge size bottles at Sam's or Costco. Third, we put fox urine on the entry points they frequented (like where the limbs from neighbors come close to the fence, etc.). It's been over a year now since I've seen a squirrel in the yard. Good luck! =)

Ick but I think it's rats. We've put traps out and have had 3 dead ones so far.

I had to put all my iris in pots for now. The gophers get the rhizomes and the rabbits get the leaves. I'm building 3 raised gardens 8'x4' with gopher wire at the bottom and chicken wire surrounding them. I will plant my iris once this is complete. Haven't had problems with squirrels though. What we do for love. :-)

I have several Iris I put out about 3 years ago and have had no problem, but I put out 12 new ones this year, and I just went out and found 1 basically gone. I replant what was left and went inside, but as I happen to look out my picture window I notice something odd on the squirrel feeder on the tree, so I go out and look, there was the main rhizom sitting there, so I know who keeps digging in my Iris bed.