I have the following to offer in exchange for the cannas. Plmk if interested. Thank-you. Sincerely and respectfully, Nancy aka sunshine98 Egyptian white topset walking onions "Heritage White"-2 Elephant Garlic---------1 Ipheon Bulbs light blue----2 Rooted Hall's Honeysuckle------2 Pomegranate cuttings-----several Oleander cuttings--------several vinca vine rooted cuttings nice size--------2

I'm guessing the repairs, etc. are overwith. I'd replant them now thinking they have a better chance in the ground than drying out in a bag in the garage for a few months. I imagine it's hot in New Jersey, but I'd prepare the space, put them in and water well to get them restarted. Iris rhizomes and lily bulbs are pretty resiliant self-contained little units - at least for the short haul. I do expect someone to offer a different perspective. :-)

If all you see is paper husks, it sounds like they died a while ago. Like any 'dead body', the longer it is dead, the harder it is to determine the cause of death. Do you know if they were alive last October? Did they look healthy and normal? If it were borer, you may not have seen them in the late spring, early summer. There may have been holes in the iris, and devastating damage that could not withstand the winter. if you are sure they were healthy in the Fall, there are other causes of winter death. An animal may have eaten the roots, or it could be winter fungal rot. They may have heaved in the freeze/thaw cycles. I always have a little winter mortality, but only a small percentage die because of the harsh conditions. Maybe 1%. The best thing you can do now, is make sure you apply some Merit in the early spring, and observe carefully. By Fall, before the rhizomes bunk in for the winter, make sure they are firm and free of holes, or mush. Then you know its not borer. Examine a few times during the winter to see if you can detect something abnormal. A healthy 'hybrinating' rhizome is hard and anchored securely in the soil. Good luck, Laetitia

I always soak my iris in a weak bleach solution for 15 minutes before planting, as Walter said in the article. It is not because they are dry, it is to have the bleach kill anything that may be on them, such as the start of rot. But if you missed that step before planting, I would not dig them up.