Trim iris leaves after flowering. How to care for irises after flowering: removing flower stalks, pruning in the fall, preparing for winter. Perennial ornamental plants

Many gardeners love to grow irises on their plots. The flower is incredibly decorative, has many shapes and colors. However, in order for it to please for many years, you need proper care and pruning.

Why prune irises

This is a perennial that requires careful pruning. During the period of growth and flowering, it requires the removal of above-ground parts several times. When to prune irises:

  • the leaves turned yellow and covered with spots;
  • the flowering period has ended;
  • end of autumn and beginning of frosts;
  • care requirements for certain varieties.

Each of the reasons implies its own technique and timing when to prune irises. In addition, there are two types of these flowers that require different care.

Why prune irises

Rhizomatous

Their care is minimal. Remove yellow and dried leaves, if necessary. In the fall, you don’t need to prune unless there is a compelling reason to do so. These varieties have exotic species with showy flowers - their fan of leaves are removed by half closer to autumn.

Bulbous

More demanding in care. They are distinguished by the presence of bulbous rhizomes. After such varieties fade, you need to cut them all off. aboveground part. Leave the roots of the bulbs and try not to damage them - this can lead to the death of the flower. The planting material is dried and planted in the ground again in the fall. In the northern regions, the flower is planted in the spring so that the plant does not freeze in winter.

When to trim leaves

Pruning is carried out in case of transplantation or propagation of a flower. In this case, the leaves are cut almost completely, leaving about a third of the length. This way, water is retained in the roots for better survival.

When to trim leaves

If you need to disconnect young roots, then there is no need to touch the entire rhizome. Needed part is detached with a shovel, and the remaining part is covered with earth. No watering is required after the procedure.

Note! It is better to postpone pruning and replanting until the evening, when the sun is not shining.

When to trim the leaves of irises - a few days before the intended transplant. It is not recommended to touch them during flowering; all procedures are carried out after 3-4 weeks. The plant will restore the energy spent on the formation of peduncles and form more primordia of young rhizomes.

When the seeds ripen, the bushes also need pruning. After the flower fades, seeds appear in the receptacle. Each variety is capable of propagation by seeds, and for some this is the only method. All flower stalks are cut off, but if they want to propagate the plant, they leave one, removing parts of the bush that have already dried out.

There are varieties that have seeds with a very decorative appearance. In this case, remove the dried buds without touching the flower. The stinking iris has the seeds of a beautiful orange color, and Belamkanda has black showy seeds.

Is it possible to prune irises in July?

The flower is one of the first to bloom, but these times also vary depending on the variety. According to flowering, plants are divided into groups:

  • early - bloom in May;
  • mid-early - flowering closer to the beginning of June;
  • average - during June;
  • late - in the first half of July.

Is it possible to prune irises in July?

Some varieties bloom twice in one season - in spring and then in autumn. Thus, in July, when the iris has faded, its flower stalks are cut off. This is done so that the plant does not waste energy on the seeds, but directs all the energy to the buds that have not yet blossomed.

Additional Information. Removing dry elements gives more decorative look, this is a way to update irises.

There are varieties that are very easy to sow, if you do not remove the peduncle - this leads to thickening of the plantings in the flowerbed. It makes it worse appearance and provokes nutrient deficiency in the main plant.

Flowers are also pruned during flowering. It's done sharp knife, in compliance with the following recommendations:

  • buds that have bloomed and have a green receptacle are removed;
  • when flowering occurs in the active phase, it is important to preserve the buds;
  • after the flower has lost its decorative appearance, it is cut off at a distance of 2.5 cm from the ground.

Leaves should not be removed during flowering or immediately after. This may even lead to the death of the plant. When pruning the foliage of irises, remove only completely yellow or dried tips. At correct pruning a green fan will decorate the flowerbed all summer.

Important! Do not fertilize during the flowering period.

Varieties that bloom twice a year require mandatory pruning of stems and leaves. When cutting irises is required for a bouquet, the cut is made almost at the root without damaging it.

Pruning in autumn

In autumn, pruning is necessary for flowers - this way the plant will prepare for unfavorable winter conditions. The procedure is carried out before frost in October - the leaves are removed. There are several tips on how to prune irises in the fall:

  • you need to cut the foliage into a cone, this way there will be less moisture on the surface;
  • Leaves up to 15 cm tall are not touched;
  • when cutting irises, the removed parts must be burned;
  • rhizomes are covered with a layer of soil;
  • if it is winter with a small amount of snow, then the flowers are completely covered.

Thus, when it is time to cut irises for the winter depends on the growing region. Somewhere frosts may come earlier.

This is a very common plant, with many species, so every gardener has his own secrets in caring for it. Here are some tips for caring for your flower:

  • So that after flowering the leaves do not turn yellow, planting material pre-soaked in copper sulfate. This procedure keeps the plant green until frost;
  • Only purchased varieties are planted during the period of their acquisition, and existing bushes are planted in early August. In this case, the planting material is dried for a couple of days and embedded in the soil with the rhizome facing south;
  • In order to quickly propagate the desired variety, take the rhizome and cut it in two places to a depth of about 1 cm. Then dry it a little and plant it. Such a plant produces about 6-7 children. It is important to prepare the place for planting, fertilize and moisten it well. The children are separated from the main bush with a small part of the mother plant - this way the young plants will have more nutrients.

After the irises have bloomed, novice gardeners have many questions. Is it necessary to remove flower stalks, trim leaves, what care is needed for irises in the fall, is preparation for winter mandatory, or can these plants overwinter without shelter? Let's try to figure it out together.

After these delicate and fragile creatures of nature have bloomed, the following steps must be performed:

  • Carry out pruning.
  • Feed the plants.
  • Replant if necessary.
  • Provide shelter for the winter.

Pruning irises in autumn

Many gardeners believe that irises unpretentious plants, which after flowering you can not touch at all. A faded peduncle will dry out on its own, so why interfere with the natural process. But it's not right.

Pruning irises is necessary because it:

  1. Prevents the development of seeds, which take away some of the nutrients from the plant. Excess seeds are scattered throughout the garden, causing unexpected shoots.
  2. Protects the plant from pests that breed in old foliage.

It should be remembered that the first pruning of flowers with ovules is carried out immediately after flowering. Use sharp scissors to cut off flowers, dry petals, and receptacles.

The flower stem is removed a couple of weeks after flowering. It is cut off with sharp pruners or scissors at the base, leaving no more than 2 cm on the surface.

The leaves are left untouched during this pruning. They must wither on their own, but in the meantime the leaves are necessary to transfer the energy needed for wintering to the roots. When the leaves completely darken, they are cut off at a height of about 15 cm. All cut areas are powdered with crushed charcoal.

When to prune irises? It is impossible to give an exact pruning time; it all depends on the weather forecast and the specific region. If we talk about the Moscow region and the Volga region, you can prune irises there in early November. IN Krasnodar region the dates can be shifted by almost a month, and in Siberia and beyond the Urals, irises begin to be prepared for winter from the end of September.

How to feed irises in the fall

Irises need to be fed year-round. Autumn feeding will be the third since the beginning of the year. It must be applied three weeks after the irises have bloomed.

During this period, the plant rests, after which it begins to actively develop root system and the buds are formed.

You should start fertilizing after pruning, but before the onset of frost. Fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus, and organic matter are applied to well-moistened and loosened soil.

Do not add fresh manure to the soil; the root system may rot or become infected. It is better to use an aqueous solution of rotted manure.

When fertilizing, it is important to consider the variety of iris. For example, in bearded varieties, roots that are partially on the surface should not be touched. Otherwise they may die.

To protect flowers from pests, it is necessary to spray Bordeaux mixture or malathion solution when preparing irises for winter.

Do irises need replanting in the fall?

Irises are considered frost-resistant plants. Therefore, they can be replanted in the fall. Experienced gardeners recommend doing this no more than once every five years. Why is a transplant needed? Over time, the bushes grow greatly, the root system is gradually forced out, and the number of flowers decreases. Growing stems do not allow each other to develop normally. Therefore, they are transplanted, which usually occurs at the beginning of autumn, when they have bloomed. If you transplant flowers too late, they will die at the first frost.

How to transplant irises

First, the soil on the site is prepared. They dig it up, loosen it, add mineral fertilizers. Better not to use organic fertilizers, irises don’t really like them.

The root system of irises consists of several links with their own roots and fan, which are interconnected by thin bridges. Having dug the bush out of the ground, you need to carefully separate the roots so that you get several bushes, the roots of which will consist of 1-3 links.

It is necessary to remove all damaged parts of the roots and remaining foliage. Bushes prepared for transplantation are dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate. After half an hour, take it out and dry it. The sections are treated with charcoal powder. Thus, the roots are disinfected.

The bushes are placed in pre-prepared holes. They should be at a distance of half a meter from each other. Do not deepen the iris bushes too much. The top of the root system should remain flush with the soil. After transplanting, the plants need infrequent watering, so they will take root faster.

How to prepare irises for winter

It doesn’t matter whether the plant has been replanted or not, it needs care. Irises are covered for the winter depending on the variety.

  • Rhizomatous irises, as well as varieties that came to us from Holland, Spain and Japan, are among the most delicate creatures. This group can include all types of bearded iris.
  • Iridodictiums are more resistant to cold weather. Of the rhizomatous varieties, low-growing irises are frost-resistant.
  • Wild beardless irises are considered the most persistent. They easily endure harsh winters. After pruning and processing, such irises are covered only until 4-5 years and after transplantation.

But irises from the first two groups require increased attention in the fall. In the second half of November, when the rains are already behind us and the first frosts begin on the soil, it is worth starting to cover the irises. You should not cover the flowers in advance, they can smudge and die.

What to use for shelter? Covering irises for the winter is done with straw, humus or peat. There should be a loose layer above the iris bushes, about 10 centimeters. Fir branches are thrown on top.

With the onset of spring, irises wake up early; their cover can be removed when the snow melts. They will easily tolerate spring temperature fluctuations.

Irises are frozen: what to do?

In spring, indeed, you can find that some of the irises have been killed by frost. Treatment required:

  • First, remove all parts that have frozen and rotted. Only hard tissue should remain.
  • The cut leaves are treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
  • All wounds are sprinkled with crushed coal. This will stop the rotting process and prevent the iris from completely dying.

If freezing of irises becomes regular, it is necessary to dig up the bulbs next year. The events are held in the fall, after all the leaves have dried. The dug up bulbs are thoroughly dried in a warm place (about a month). Then they are stored in the cellar.

With the timely and strict implementation of all activities related to irises and the preparation of these delicate plants for winter, they will delight you with their friendly flowering all summer.

Any novice gardener wants to properly care for a perennial plant, especially a flowering one. How to prune irises? When to do this? Should I leave a fan of leaves?

Iris is often called iris. Iris flowers have been grown for a very long time and now there are more than 1000 varieties of plants with different bizarre shapes and colors of buds.

This perennial and requires some care in order to delight every year with beautiful flowers and large blooms. One of important elements caring for a flower is how to prune it correctly. Over many, many years, gardeners have learned how to better care for flowers.

How to prune irises correctly? When should this be done? Is it necessary to leave a fan of leaves?

Irises are pruned several times a season depending on the indicators:

  • Fan of leaves – yellow, spotted;
  • End of flowering period;
  • Autumn period and frosts;
  • Iris variety.

Let's look at the most important periods when it is necessary to prune irises. Tips and care rules in this article will help you properly care for the plant.

Pruning during flowering

The first time plants are pruned is during flowering. During the flowering period flowers different varieties bloom different time. And flowers need care and attention. During this period, only flowers are removed.

You need to trim the flowers with a sharp knife.

Flowers are trimmed according to the following rules:

  • Remove faded buds with a green receptacle;
  • During the period of active flowering, it is necessary to preserve flowers that have not yet opened;
  • When the flowers fade, you need to completely remove the stem, leaving 2.5 cm from the root.

Removing leaves during the flowering period or immediately after its end is not advisable or even prohibited. If you do this, the plant may die. Only the yellowed leaves or tips need to be trimmed. Until the end of summer, the green fan of leaves will delight the eye.

Several times a week you need to cut off parts of the plant (yellow ones that dry out) as necessary until the end of the season.

If the flower is only slightly wilted, then it is better not to touch it. This may harm the plant. Wait until the leaves begin to dry.

Do not feed the plant during flowering.

Some varieties bloom again in late summer and even fall if the flowers and leaves are cut.

If you want to trim irises for a bouquet, then you need to do this right at the rhizome, but you must not damage it.

Pruning during propagation and transplantation

If you are planning a summer transplant or their propagation, then it is best to cut off the fan of leaves. This will leave moisture in the roots of the transplanted flower and will allow you to spend less energy in the new place. Their height is reduced by 70% of their total length.

If you want to separate the young roots, it is better not to touch the entire rhizome. Cut off the root of the young shoot with a shovel, cover the old root with soil. It is better not to water it.

It is better to trim the leaves a few days before replanting. It is better to transplant a few weeks after the end of flowering. At this time, more young rhizomes will form, and the plant will replenish its strength after flowering.

It is better to prune and replant the plant in the evening, when the sun is not so hot.

Pruning when seeds ripen

When the flowers fade, seeds form in the green receptacle. Any variety can be propagated by seeds; some varieties can only be propagated in this way. If you want to get a flower from seeds, you should leave only one flower, removing only the dried leaves.

Some varieties of irises have very beautiful seeds. For such varieties, it is better not to cut the flower, but to remove only the dry buds.

For example, these are the following varieties of irises:

  • Iris is stinky. After flowering ends, orange seeds can be seen.
  • Belamkanda. After flowering ends, black seeds open.

Pruning in autumn

In autumn it is necessary to prepare flowers for winter period. To do this, in the fall before frost, most often in October, you need to remove the leaves. It is better to do this according to the following tips:

  • The leaves are cut into a cone so that less water remains on the surface;
  • Leave foliage up to 15cm from the ground;
  • Burn the cut leaves;
  • Cover the rhizomes with soil;
  • In winter, cover the plant completely, especially if there is little snow.

Features of pruning some varieties

Different varieties require different care and need to be pruned differently. There are 2 types of irises.

Rhizomatous irises require minimal care. Remove leaves as needed: only yellow and dry leaves. In the fall, you can leave the foliage alone unless it requires trimming.

Some species of this variety have exotic flowers. For such varieties, it is better to cut off the leaf fans by half and only at the end of summer or autumn.

Varieties bulbous irises need more care. These varieties are easily distinguished by the presence of bulbs - rhizomes. After flowering has finished, the bulbous varieties are dug up. All foliage and stems are cut off. The roots of the bulbs must be left, otherwise the plant will die. These varieties are dried. In autumn it is necessary to plant flowers in the ground.

It is better to plant varieties of bulbous irises in the northern regions in the spring, so that the bulbs do not freeze.

Irises are loved by many gardeners. But not everyone knows how to properly care for them. This is especially true for new flower varieties for our country, which require a lot of attention and care. In our article we tried to answer the question: when to prune irises. When to remove a fan of leaves? Only in late summer and autumn, when the foliage begins to turn yellow and the first frosts will soon arrive. Properly trimming irises and fans of leaves is not so difficult, the main thing is to follow the rules and advice when caring.

We wish you success in caring for irises of all varieties and sizes! We hope our article helped you.

A gardener who decides to grow irises sooner or later wonders when to prune irises for the winter and whether it is necessary to do so at all. For this procedure, there are certain rules that you need to know and follow. Otherwise, you can harm the plant and lead to its death.

When and how to prune irises after flowering

Typically the flowering period lasts from May to June. During this time, some flowers dry up, others bloom, the flowering time of one is no more than 5 days. After the flower begins to fade and dry out, you need to help the plant - remove the flower stalks.

A gardener needs to know when to prune irises for the winter.

For this operation to be beneficial, you should adhere to the following rules:

  • We use special garden shears with well-sharpened sharp blades;
  • We determine the length of the cut part - we retreat 2 cm down from the base of the bud;
  • Some varieties bloom 2 times per season. When the bush has completely bloomed, the stem must be removed almost completely - make a cut at a height of 2 cm from ground level;
  • Check your bushes regularly for wilted flowers.

IN summer time We remove only dried flowers and flower stalks. The leaves do not need to be touched during this period; their turn will come a little later. The exception is dry leaves, which must be removed.

Should irises be trimmed in the fall, when and how?

If you cut off the leaves ahead of time, you can harm the plant. It will not receive enough nutrients, which may subsequently reduce its frost resistance. This procedure must be carried out in the fall, a few days before the arrival of frost, so that the trimmed greens do not have time to start growing. IN middle lane this is usually mid-October. Rules autumn pruning very simple:

  1. Measure 15 cm from ground level.
  2. Make a cone-shaped cut with the tip facing up.
  3. Burn the cut foliage.

The fact is that insect pests lay eggs in the leaves of irises. If you do not trim and destroy the remains, they will begin to damage the plants in the spring.

As for pruning buds, is it worth carrying out this procedure at all? Yes, this is a mandatory event for caring for irises. After the flower dries, the seeds will ripen and sow the entire surrounding area of ​​land.

Self-seeding will lead to uncontrolled growth of bushes, they will interfere with each other and take everything nutrients from the soil. As a result, the flower garden will lose its attractive appearance. Also, removing faded flowers and peduncles is of an aesthetic nature, because dead parts of the plant spoil the whole picture.