The botanical genus of the iris is also known as the sword lily in horticulture and is one of the most popular flowering plants. However, due to the strong propagation drive of this plant species, an undesirably strong spread in the garden can quickly occur if you do not take measures to contain it.

You can cut off faded flowers of the iris

Cut back the leaves of the iris or not?

Due to a maximum growth height of 60 to 80 centimeters, it is usually not necessary to cut back the leaves of the iris. However, you should never do this for personal aesthetic reasons, as it can harm the growth of the plants. With the iris, the leaf material must also remain on the plants in autumn, as it serves as an energy reserve for the budding in the following year and is important for the formation of flowers.

Cut back the inflorescences of the iris

After the flowering period, the withered inflorescences of the iris do not look particularly attractive. You can then cut them back to a height of about 8 to 10 centimeters. Use a sharp and clean knife to keep the irises healthy in the garden. This care measure also serves to contain the propagation by self-sowing. Otherwise, when the seeds ripen on the plants within a few years, the iris can spread widely in the garden.

Cutting the roots when dividing

Larger clumps of irises are dug up and divided after several years at the same location in order to counteract a decreasing number of flowers. It is advisable to pay attention to the following points when dividing:

  • the shortening of the fine root system
  • the shortening of the leaves
  • careful planting and watering after pruning

When transplanting, the fine roots on the rhizomes should be shortened, especially immediately after the flowering period, so that new growth and rejuvenation can take place at the new location.

tips and tricks

Basically, the leaves of the iris should not be cut back. When dividing the rhizomes and after a root rejuvenation cut, you should shorten the leaves by about half so that the leaf mass can be adequately supplied by the temporarily reduced root mass.

Category:

Vegetable garden