How to Get Rid of Iris Borers

Iris borers eat iris plants from the inside out. As tiny larvae, iris borers enter the plant through small holes in leaves; once inside, they eat their way down the stem into the rhizome. The rhizome, a collection of roots from a central underground stem, is the last dining hall for iris borers. Once iris borers have eaten the rhizome, they leave the plant and move on to another. If iris borers are left unchecked, they can destroy an entire iris garden in a matter of months.

Gardening gloves
Lead arsenate pesticide

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all fallen organic material from the iris bed. Leaves, twigs, and other plant material is a breeding ground for iris borer larvae. Organic material must be removed as it appears throughout the year.
- 2
  Uproot and destroy iris plants that appear to be infested with iris borers. Generally, an infested plant cannot be saved, and the iris borers inside can live on to infest other plants. Burning an infested plant is the most effective way of destroying all the iris borers it contains.
- 3
  Put on gardening gloves. Spray the leaves of your iris plants with a pesticide containing lead arsenate. Lead arsenate kills iris borer larvae after they consume it.

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