Hosta, Shasta Daisies & Iris

[Sugarcoated]

I have some off-beat questions for the more experienced that I couldn't find googling.

We have a hosta that's so huge it's borderline unsightly. It doesn't bother me too much, but my husband wants to prune it! I say no, let's let the monster bloom, and then dig it up and separate it.

Secondly . . . as usual, I've got pots of perenials not planted in the ground yet, and the Shasta Daisies are on the verge of blooming, Black-Eyed Susan's not yet. Would it be okay to plant in the ground at this point if it's blooming?

Lastly, I have a bunch of, what I believe is Siberian Iris's, in a spot no one sees, so I planted some elsewhere, a sunnier spot, but outside the front yard fence. We live on a corner, and I know some dog owners probably let their pets pee there. They not only haven't bloomed, but the leaves look like they would after a bloom, wilting, losing their green color.

I live outside of Philadelphia, btw, it might help telling you my planting zone.

[Blue Gardener]

1. Hostas and Daisies

I wouldn't prune the hosta, just divide it and give away what you don't want. You can do it now if you want as long as the weather isn't blistering hot. I have one I took three big divisions from this spring, now you can hardly tell I even touched it.
I dug up some daisies that had buds on them. They have been re-planted and are doing just fine. You shouldn't have any trouble planting the ones you have. If you want, you can pinch the flower buds off for this year to allow the plant to put extra energy into developing a good root system instead of producing flowers.
I have trouble with iris myself, so I'll let someone else handle that question.

[Sugarcoated]

2. Thanks for responding Blue Gardener.

My husband planted the daisies and Susan's, I hope I don't go out in the morning and find them wilting. He didn't do much to amend the soil, which is clay, except mix in a bunch of well rotted leaf mulch. I hope they're not fussy. We laid Right Dress on all the beds, more weeding and hedge trimming so we had big forks stuck in us by the end of the day. We've gotten terribly behind with the yard work, with him not turning down overtime and me with no help from him with kids and other stuff, etc. The hosta will be a project for another day.

[Blue Gardener]

3. Wilting is normal for a day or two.

Don't worry about it too much, they should be fine.

[beac]

4. irises often won't bloom the first year after they are transplanted.

I transplanted some bearded iris last year and, of about 10 rhizomes, only two bloomed this year. I've read it can take a few years for them to really get back to blooming well.

The foliage thing does sound worrying though. maybe move them away from the range of peeing pooches?

or it could just be a soil issue. This site has some good info on growing Siberians: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/3-28-1997/growiris.html

[JanusAscending]

5. Or...they could have been planted too deeply!

The rhizomes should be planted so as to be able to see part of the rhizome above the soil. If they are bearded, from my experience in the Zone 6 of CT., they will not bloom the first year of transplant.