From: jwilson@chopin.udel.edu (Jim Wilson)
Subject: Re: how to care for iris
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 19:59:03 GMT

rlwilliams@gallua.gallaudet.edu writes:

> I have some iris that of course have long since bloomed. This is the
> first year in this location so I'm assuming I don't have to dig them
> up and do anything... That's my question, do I need to do anything?
> They still have their green leaves... can I plant other things
> inbetween them? Am I supposed to cut the leaves down?  Any advice on
> the care and feeding (is it too late to fertilize) of Irises?

It's good to cut the bloomstalks off close to the ground on a dry
day.

Yes, you can plant things in between them, but air circulation is
definitely a good thing, as is sun to the plants and rhizomes.
Keeping the area clean is a good way to inhibit insects and disease.

There are a couple of schools of thought on cutting leaves down.  Mine
only cuts bearded iris leaves if they are withered or diseased.
Others cut everything level in the fall on the theory that there are
diseases that people like me miss and that it's easier to do the whole
thing than to go leaf by leaf making decisions.  Beardless iris
foliage (Siberians, Japanese, ..) should be cut in the fall-- some
even go so far as to burn it off.

Most bearded irises don't need any additional food this time of year,
but instead grow a bit and then rest a while during the dry days of
summer.  The reblooming types are an exception; they do well with a
dose of balanced fertilizer now and being kept watered.  Beardless
types can also do with some food and water now, heavier portions of
both if we are working with Louisianas and Japanese.  In the fall, you
might want to provide some high phosphorus fertilizer, but keep in
mind with all of these that it is better to do too little than too
much.  In the spring, 4-6 weeks before expected bloom, you might feed
again with balanced fertilizer.  Lots of irises get along just fine
without any of the pampering I'm talking about here, though.  Your
local iris growers are the best source of information on what works
best in your area--let me know if you need the name of a contact
person.  --

Jim Wilson, Instructional Technology Center, University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware 19716                      jwilson@brahms.udel.edu