I have crocosmia in amongst some iris. I want to take out the crocosmia, but now that the flowers are gone, how do I get the right plant by leaf identification alone?
Water the clumps generously and leave to soak for an hour then lift clumps with a fork.
The iris - assuming they're bearded - will have horizontal tuberous roots like a piece of ginger. The crocosmia will have stacked round corms. Separate them carefully, cut off any dead ends of the iris rhizomes, trim their leaves back to a third and re-plant each root. Iris like to have their rhizomes baked so don't plant them deep.
If they are Siberian irises they will grow in clumps you can separate by hand or with a fork or spade and you can easily spot the crocosmia corms. Re-plant the new clumps at the depth they were before and don't trim the leaves.
Dutch irises have a bulb at the base and you can separate those, with their leaves attached, and re-plant at the same depth after separating the crocosmia.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I have a mixed bed of these that I just relocated. In my experience the crocosmia leaves are softer and narrower. The iris leaves feel firmer and are slightly wider.
I have a mixed bed of these that I just relocated. In my experience the crocosmia leaves are softer and narrower. The iris leaves feel firmer and are slightly wider.
Depends on the Iris though. The foliage on many of the other types isn't like bearded irises
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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The iris - assuming they're bearded - will have horizontal tuberous roots like a piece of ginger. The crocosmia will have stacked round corms. Separate them carefully, cut off any dead ends of the iris rhizomes, trim their leaves back to a third and re-plant each root. Iris like to have their rhizomes baked so don't plant them deep.
If they are Siberian irises they will grow in clumps you can separate by hand or with a fork or spade and you can easily spot the crocosmia corms. Re-plant the new clumps at the depth they were before and don't trim the leaves.
Dutch irises have a bulb at the base and you can separate those, with their leaves attached, and re-plant at the same depth after separating the crocosmia.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw