When should I plant my Bearded Iris rhizomes?

I bought 4 bags of Bearded Iris rhizomes (3 to each bag) and I don't know when to plant them. The back of it says in my area, plant March through April. Well, it's almost the middle of May and I was wondering if it's too late to plant or should I just plant them in late fall for next year's blooms or can I do it now? I know no matter when I plant them, they probably won't come up 'til next year anyway. Thanks for your help.

When should I plant my Bearded Iris rhizomes?
ASAP. They won't grow if they're not in the ground.
Reply:Plant them in the ground as soon as you can! They may not bloom this year if you didn't plant them according to the packet's instruction, but they will die if you don't put them in the ground. They should continue to grow foliage, just won't produce flower. Make sure you amend the soil, make them nice and fluffy before you plant them. Irises are pretty tough they should survive. Good luck and happy gardening!
Reply:Go ahead and plant now. You will not have flowers this year, but you will have them next year. If you try to hold them until fall, they will die. Just put them in the ground.





You should dig, separate and reset your iris about every 3-4 years. Do it in September.
Reply:It would be better to plant them now even though it's a little late. Bearded Iris are surprisingly sturdy even when dormant. They will probably do alright. However, if you plant them in the fall they may dry out before you have a chance to plant them.
Reply:Go ahead and do it now, you will probably have some greenery, but no blooms this year. If you don't plant them, they will probably die, then you've wasted the money.
Reply:Even though the best time is after the blooming season, from July through October, plant them now so they can get established.





See source for more info
Reply:I would go ahead and plant them. They probably won't bloom this year, but will get a head start on next year.