Cutting Bloom stalk questions.

Is it best to wait to cut the bloom stalks until most of the iris have finished blooming? Or best to cut them back immediately after that particular iris is done? Just how far back should I cut them? Sorry for all the questions but this is my first year with iris blooms so I want to do it correctly.

I was reading on the web about how to divide iris, Not that I need to divide, just planting last year but trying to learn more. One site said the bloom stalks needed to be cut right after blooming to prevent the iris from changing color. I don't believe iris can change color but here it it copied and pasted --

'Remove bloom stalks after blooming to prevent color distortions in your blooms the following year. If you want to keep the color of the iris the same as originally purchased, bloom stalks must be removed soon after blooming.'

Don't know what to make of that strange statement.

I think that someone is misinformed - they don't change colors. However, if the iris has a seed pod and the seeds ripen and spill to the ground, the seedlings that emerge will be different than the pod parent. For this reason, some hybridizers will secure a section of pantyhose over the top of the pod to keep the seeds from reaching the ground before they can be gathered up.

I wait until pods have matured, then gather seeds, cut back the stalks, and trim foliage. In my area this happens in July.


This message was edited May 24, 2010 10:31 AM

The only way I can interpret what that says involves alot of "ifs". If you leave on the stalk and if the stalk has a pod and if that pod matures and splits and drops seeds and if the seeds sprout then you could have an offspring that is a hybrid of the orginal cultivar and another, possibly and likely producing another color. Whew long sentence!!

K

Iris changing color is a lot of BS. Stronger than I usually use but I hate misinformation going out to gardeners. People are correct about the seeds dropping out of the pod. Cut stalks when they finish bloom on your time. You know how much time that you have in the garden.

I once had a pod which had turned over & I needed to salvage it. As I started to collect it the seeds dropped to9 the ground. suddenly there was a rush of ants which grabbed the seeds faster than I could. I was left with a single seed while they captured the bounty.

Short answer is cut the stalks quickly as the blooms wither if you have time. Any energy used to form seed pods is wasted and is better used with new increases. Bloom stalks encourage rhizome rot in rainy weather. Cut them as close to the rhizome as possible.

Iris do NOT EVER change colors. It will ALWAYS be the same color.
same for daylilies.

I hybridize my irises, so of course I want the seed pods and it's not wasted energy in this case. If you aren't going to plant the seeds than I would agree with Oldgardenrose.

As Cathy said, obviously if you want seeds you keep the stalks intact. Most people do not. I found last year during a late rainy season the stalks would begin rotting at the upper end and change to a gooey mess after a few days. The side stalks and bud remanents would trap and hold water plus the stalk is probably 95% or more water. My older iris stalks are thin and drier, almost woody, and do not rot as the modern irises are prone to do.

I have been twisting the bloom stalk at the base until it breaks off, as soon as that stem is done blooming. I keep my hand over the rhizome so it doesn't pull away any more than I intend. More air space, less crowding to invite rot, that is my feeling. It won't ever bloom again anyways.

I just use a pair of pruners to cut mine. But I have never cut them off at the base of the rhizome. I always have cut them 6 inches tall or so. Hmmm. Might try that.

I can see where it would lead to rot. I think the daylilies are the same way, I like to cut the stalk up tall, so that it doesn't leave a hole where it comes out on the crown and rot that.

Cutting at the base is a good idea because of rot forming on the stem.

caitlinsgarden is right -- a rhizome will only bloom once. My husband has a knack for simply snapping the stalk and it breaks cleanly at the top of the rhizome, but I haven't mastered his technique. It seems logical to remove the entire stalk to encourage that rhizome to grow a new one for blooming next year instead of expending energy to keep the remainder of the old stalk alive. As a side note to this discussion, see my comment about Gala Madrid (http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/89881/).

so what about trimming the leaves back? I always cut mine down to about 6-8 inches after blooming. Part of that is because the old foliage starts to look ratty after the bloom season is over, and because I have daylilies and other plants around them, and cutting them back makes the other flowers more visable.
I have never had any problems cutting them back and they always bloom the next year.

FrillyLily,

That is interesting that you cut back the leaves. I want to do that this year. I liked the more manicured look it gave to the landscaping, but I did it in the Fall. I was wondering how it might affect them if I did it now. It would sure make it easier to put Preen and fertilizer around them and look for problems and clean between them easier. Not to mention they would also get more air circulation.

I have a neighbor that has her rhizomes so low to the ground that they mow over their iris after blooming and they get bunches of blooms every year. Whatever works.

Do you use scissors or shears or......??????

K

Usually scissors. It's a big job too!

I used gardening scissors, too. They look like kitchen scissors. It IS indeed a big job.

K

We only trim leaves if they are browning or dieased. We trim on transplants, but are not in favor of usually trimming for looks--they are needed for food for the plant.

When you divide your plants in late summer, cut the fans back just far enough that they don't topple over. You can cut them way back late fall or late winter to remove borer eggs. But don't cut them back for looks, the more healthy leaves it has the better. You can plant them in a separate bed if they don't suit your other flowers. I like the look of healthy iris leaves in a mixed bed, but I have been keeping them all in one bed for convenience. (So I don't forget where they all are come time to give them their early spring dose of "Merit".)

By trimming foliage - I was referring to removing the dead and diseased portions. Healthy leaves should remain in tact. :o)

right Cathy but many people trim for looks. they shouldn't do that any more than doing culb foliage--like daffodils which need it for awhile. I do admit that iris foliage doesn't die down on its own.

I trim mine down to about 6-8 inches. I trim my daffs half way too, so they look so bad. Never had any problems. Now some people flat out mow over theirs, that seems abusive lol