Trimming Irises

After a recent hailstorm, the foliage on my irises looks tattered. They have just finished blooming and I'm wondering about trimming them. Can I trim the foliage now without harming future blooms? This was their first season to bloom.

Thanks!

I never recommend trimming iris foliage unless it is dead, dying, or diseased ... or unless you are transplanting them or mailing them off to someone else. Heathy green foliage (even if tattered) will continue to feed the plant for next year's bloom and growth. Trimming the foliage diminishes the plant's ability to feed itself.

Laurie

Laurie, I've got leaf spot on some well established clumps (in fact they should have already been divided) would you suggest that I clean (trim) the diseased leaves and divide immediately after blooming or wait the 4 weeks or so until end of June/beg. of July to do so?

Thanks, Roni

If you want to keep the leaf spot in check, trim off the affected portions of leaves as soon as the spots appear. I don't think the timing of dividing the clumps will make any particular difference except that it may improve air circulation around the leaves once you get them out of those crowded clumps. In that regard, dividing right after blooming is probably a good idea.

Laurie

Thanks Laurie.

Laurie, Thank you for your response. I'll leave them as they are. Susan