why is it?

I have never worked with iris before now. I have had a few bloom for me this year. What needs to be done now that the blooms are spent? I have seen a lot of people cutting the stems about half way back on ones that have been dug up. Do they need to be cut back if still in the ground? I am sure that this is about the most basic iris question there is, but please remember I have no previous experience with the beautiful plants and would like to have them do well next year.

Thank you for any and all advice.

Ruby

Ruby, I usually cut the stems back on mine just because I don't like the way they look. As for the leaves, I don't do anything with them unless they start to turn brown....then I just pull them off.

Like mgh, I cut off the spent bloomstalks because I don't like the looks of them. I do the same with tulips, daylilies, and hostas. I think leaving the foliage is important though, as it continues to feed the rhizome. I don't remove the iris foliage until after we have several hard freezes in the fall.

When you speak of cutting them back halfway on ones that have been dug up, this is usually done when one is going to transplant or ship them. It does make them easier to ship, and due to the fact that we usually plant iris rhizomes very shallow, not having all the excess foliage to tip them over helps too, since they aren't yet rooted in and have a good foothold.

I only cut the leaves off if they are getting brown spots or just look bad. I'm sure the leaves feed the rhizome to make a bigger and better bulb and induce babies growing off the parent rhizome.
JoanJ is right. Newly planted rhizomes could be tipped over and out of the ground with a little wind unless the leaves are cut back at first. The leaves are so broad and long that they catch a lot of wind and can uproot the whole rhizome exposing the roots.

Thank you all for responses. A person learns something new every day. Most of the iris that I have came from my deceased mother's home. That is one of the reasons that I would like to know how to take proper care of them. I am really glad that I asked this question and found out that I haven't missed a crucial step somewhere.

I hope that you are all having a good growing season and enjoying the beauty of your gardens. Again, I thank you for taking the time to respond.

Ruby

ruby, since you are in VA, you probably have acid soil. You should get a soil test kit from the Cooperative Extension Agency,which should be listed under your state listing or county listings in the phone book. It has instructions, but basically you take soil samples from the areas where you will be planting the irises. You mail them in and you will get a report which the local farm agent may have to decipher for you. I also have to give mine a lot of bone meal or even triple phosphates because my soil is low in phosphates.

Thank you woodspirit1. I have often wondered about our soil and may just take your advice and have some testing done. It may not help, but it definitely won't hurt.

On occasion I am very lucky in that my husband will become involved in helping me get a flower bed started. When he helps out, I get a wonderful mixture of our soil mixed with cow manure. He has to work the manure in, so this leaves the soil broken up and easy to work with.

A friend just sent me a few Iris and hubby took them off to his "holding place." I am going to let him be in charge of these. ha-ha.

Again, thank you everyone for your input. I hope that you are having a good weekend.

Ruby

Ruby, I have become excited about reblooming irises. Some will bloom as usual in the spring and then again later in the summer. Others will even bloom from the summer, into the fall . A few bloom almost continuously. The best nursery for these in Nicholl's which is in Virginia. They are very honest about evaluating which ones are likely to rebloom in different climates.
I am going to get 4 this year.

Wow, I didn't realize there were re-bloomers. I will have to check it out. The only color that I have now is the blue/purple. At some point I am hoping to add some other colors. I think that I would love white ones.

Again, thamls for input.

Ruby

Immortality is a large beautiful white reliable rebloomer.

I love it's name too.

Ruby