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How to Divide and Care for Bearded Iris

By Marie Iannotti, About.com

4 of 7

Inspect the Bearded Iris Rhizomes for Borer Damage and Soft Rot

How to Divide Bearded Iris -Inspect for Borer Damage and Soft Rot
Once the bearded iris rhizomes are clean, look for small to medium holes, like the one on the rhizome above left. These are telltale signs of borer damage. If your bearded iris leaves have dark streaks in them, you probably have iris borers, so look closely.

Also look for soft spots like the front section of the above right rhizome. This is another common iris problem called soft rot.

Using a sharp knife or pruners, remove any traces of either iris borer damage or soft rot and dispose of these segments of rhizome. Soft rot spreads easily, so disinfect your cutting tool with denatured alcohol between cuts, to prevent furthur contamination.

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