Now what?

This is my first year for iris and I'm in love! It's been a thrill to see the different varieties purchased through a co-op last year and the few that were traded or pass-a-longs bloom for the first time. I tried to learn what I could about soil prep, planting, etc. but didn't ask what to do once they bloom. Most have bloomed and we've had rain for days so there are lots of soggy spent blooms in the garden. Now what?

Do I deadhead them? Should I be deadheading as soon as the bloom fades? I'm not interested in seeds or hybridizing. When the spent blooms are cut, can they be tossed in the garden to decompose or should they be disposed of? Thanks for your help.

This is Can Can Red. Isn't she a beauty?

I go out every day and dead head my Iris and just throw them on the rest of the flower bed. BEV

Deadhead as flowers fade. When stalk has finished bloom, cut it off at the base next to the rhizome so they will not rot.

Thanks Bev and irisMA. Nice stepping stones between the rows of iris. Bet that makes it much easier to weed!

This is a NOID - it may be Batik.

Look like Batik check the color of the beards with plant files.

Batik is BB ,
so it will be shorter than TB

We've had so much rain - and more on the way - that my blooms were gone earlier than if it had not rained. At least I got to enjoy them a while. There are a few blooms left and a few yet to bloom.

I have two from an RU three years ago that have never bloomed. They are marked Platinum and Ascii II (not sure about the spelling). The platinum has multiplied but has never bloomed. Do you throw them out if they don't bloom?

No don't throw them out. Some iris are finiky. This is the third yr for some of mine and some will and some will take another yr. BEV

So there's hope yet? Yeah!