Irises can look wonderful in early summer, with masses of colourful blooms held on stout flower stalks. Do this just after they're done flowering. Old clumps of irises should be divided every 3 to 5 years in July or after flowering before they become overcrowded and flowering is affected. Iris can be divided immediately after flowering, in the early fall (early September on Cape Cod), or in late April. Planting iris plant companions that fill out and bloom later in the season can hide spent iris plants. Genus Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer Once the leaves are dead, cut the entire plant back to soil level, so only bulb and roots remain. Remove any diseased or brown leaves when you see them, and in autumn, cut off any old or dying leaves. After the flowers fade, cut back the stalk. If there is damage to the leaves, they may have iris borer pests. Remove any diseased or brown leaves when you see them, and in autumn, cut off any old or dying leaves. Good companions. The star performer in the garden this year, was undoubtedly Iris. Simply pluck them off or … What to Do With Indoor Hyacinth After Blooming. Divide the rhizomes in late summer, after the plant blooms. Divide the iris if they've been in place for more than four years, or if the plants are crowded. Fertilize your iris with an organic fertilizer in the … Care of the iris after it blooms is simple most years. After flowers fade, you can trim iris plants to prevent new seeds from forming -- but do not remove green stems from the ground. Only trim out diseased or yellowed leaves. I have a small patch of Iris's that originally came from my husband's paternal grandmother's garden. This isn’t your fault – it’s just the plant’s natural cycle. There are 6 lines, from end to end, that divide the pod into 6 sections. Each rhizome piece needs to have some roots and a bud-growing point. Hyacinth Care Indoors After Flowering After 8 to 12 weeks of blooming, your hyacinth will begin to go dormant. Each pod is about 1.5 inches in diameter x 3 to 4 inches long, and is solid green. However, as the rhizomes multiply, it is necessary to divide and separate them on a regular basis to ensure continued flowering over the years and to multiply the plants. This prevents the plant from using up energy to create seeds. Then they are just left - and each year they come back flowering more than the year before My nan always used to cut out the stalks and then tie the leaves up together with twine - she said it protected the plant from unexpected cold spells and frost. Companion plants for irises can also be spring blooming flowers that accentuate and contrast iris … First the flowers will die, and eventually the leaves will wither. Or they may be too crowded. The buds often open in succession, with the last frequently opening as the first and top-most bloom fades. Some do so immediately, in spring; others wait till fall. Autumn is a practical time to cut your greenery back, especially if you want to dig your rhizomes. Iris reticulata seem reluctant to naturalise and increase as some bulbs do - whenever I've grown them, either in pots or in the ground, they decrease year after year. Cut back the flower stems to their base after flowering. All types of iris benefit from fertilizing both in early spring... Divide the Plants. As the iris rhizomes like to see sunlight, they should be just below the surface. Cut back the flower stems to their base after flowering. Unlike the foliage, iris flowers should be removed immediately after they fade. I've heard other gardeners say that this is also their experience. While it prefers sunny locations, it also tolerates partial shade. They can be planted in a dedicated iris bed, or mixed with other plants, depending on the size of the garden. here in the Southeast and especially with all the rain this year iris are more prone to leaf spot and also bacterial soft rot and crown rot.