You might not be fond of learning how to trim Iris plants, but it releases the full potential of the flowers, along with proper planting and nurturing. Trimming these flowers is essential and done on two occasions every year. Haven’t done it so far? Or maybe you’ve cut it wrong and killed the plant. Read along to learn when and how to trim your irises.
Irises are special plants with unique blooms. These majestic flowers got their name after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. There are hundreds of species, but the most cultivated is the tall bearded iris, botanical name Iris germanica.
Wait for 3 to 4 days after the flowers have wilted. Then take a pair of sharp pruning shears and follow the flower stalk right to the base. Chop the whole stalk but make sure you cut it at an angle. If you cut it flat, water will gather at the surface leading to decay of the crown. When cut at an angle, the water will slide off.
With most blooming plants, you remove the spent flowers almost daily to make space for new blooms. You trim right below the flower or remove the dry petals by hand. But since irises flourish only once a year, there’s no need to remove each flower individually.
Trim iris plants after they’ve bloomed and a second time after the first harder frost. Irises bloom once a season, so there’s no reason to keep the flower stalks.