Can I cut back an iris after blooming? What causes the base of the plant to rot and get slimy?

Question

Can I cut back an iris after blooming? What causes the base of the plant to rot and get slimy?

Answer 1

yes you can cut them to about two thirds of the leaves to look tidy.

the base/rhizomes of the plant should show when planting and kept in sunlight,if they are planted too deep and kept in shade this will cause rot.

Answer 2

Yes - and now is the best time to divide them.

See source for more info

Answer 3

They like good drainage and don't like to sit in dampness.  It can rot and get slimy if there is too much moisture for it.

Answer 4

The rhizome that puts up the flowers each year die off anyway.  That's probably what's rotting, so it's no big deal.  It's why you have to clean up iris beds every 2 or 3 years, to get rid of the old rotting parts of the rhizomes.  As opposed to most plants, this is actually the time of year you're supposed to cut iris back and clean them up.