A beautiful display of flowers is delivered by irises.The plants can grow in zones 3 through 10, which means they can survive the minimum temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit.Once the flowers die, it is important to know what to do with the plants.Maintaining and deadheading your plants is part of the process.
Step 1: Understand what a guillotine is.
Deadheading is the removal of dead flower heads from a plant.Once the flowers have faded, this process stops seeds from growing.Producing seeds takes up energy that could be used to grow new plants.Deadheading helps to get rid of withered, faded flower petals.Dead iris flowers turn brown very quickly and aren't very attractive.
Step 2: You can remove the dead flower with your fingertips.
To deadhead an iris flower, pinch off the spent flower with your fingertips.If you want to remove the flower, use a sharp blade.The sheath the petals grow from needs to be cut off as well.The seeds will form in this bulb-like part of the plant.
Step 3: The plant's stalks should not be removed.
If there are other buds that have yet to bloom, don't remove the entire plant.Try not to cut the whole plant because deadheading the flowers can help the plant form new blooms more quickly.
Step 4: Be aware that bearded iris will sometimes flower twice.
At the beginning and end of the summer, bearded iris may bloom.Cut your flowers back when the second round of flowering is over.You can use garden shears to remove the tough stem once the flowering season is over.Don't cut away the green foliage on the plant.The stem can be removed to prevent the plant from rotting and to clean up the look of the garden.Place the stem in your compost after you have cut it.
Step 5: Leave the seed heads on the plant if you like the way they look.
There are some irises that have pretty seed heads.Many gardeners leave the flowers on varieties such as Stinking iris to enjoy the display of seed heads.If you leave the seed heads on, the seeds may spread and cause other irises to grow in your garden.
Step 6: If you wish to grow more irises, leave the seed heads on the plant.
It is more likely that new irises will grow in other parts of your garden if you leave the seed heads on.The irises grown from seeds may look different than the parent plant.You could grow the seeds yourself.The seeds should be soaked in water for 48 hours.Once the seeds have soaked, plant them.
Step 7: Cut the foliage after the flowers are dead.
After the flowering ends, it's important to leave the green foliage on the plant.The plant stores energy in the foliage to help it survive the winter.Leave the foliage on the plant.If you want to trim off any brown tips, leave as much green growth as possible.
Step 8: Once fall arrives, cut or pull away the leaves.
The foliage can be cut back to six inches from the ground once it has withered.Wait until after the first hard frosts to do this.Cut the plant if you can, but try to pull off the dead foliage.The plant can be cut to make it more susceptible to disease.
Step 9: If the foliage is pale, give your iris a boost.
The irises don't need much.If the foliage isn't a green healthy color then give your irises some fertilization after they bloom.The soil around the plant can be raked with a granularfertilizer.It needs to mix into the top few inches of the soil.
Step 10: Divide your irises by five years.
Dividing your plant will help it perform better.Wait six weeks after the blooms die to divide your rhizome.You can divide your iris by cutting it into four to six pieces, each with a bit of leaf and root attached.Replant the rhizomes so that they are at least 18 inches apart.
Step 11: Start feeding your iris at the beginning of spring.
Give your iris some fertilization when it starts to bloom again.A low nitrogen fertilizer is better than a high nitrogen one.Nitrogen can make irises more prone to rot.
Step 12: Instead of directly over the rhizomes, mulch around the plant.
If you put mulch over your rhizomes, it can cause them to rot.If the rhizomes aren't buried, you can surround the plant with two inches of mulch.If you want to mulch your irises, try to avoid using manure.
Step 13: Plants can be water in dry weather.
In very dry weather, irises may need some water.These plants are prone to rot, so try to avoid over watering them.