Should iris blades be pruned at an angle?

Question

All the gardening website tells me is prune them so that they're 6 inches tall.

Answer 1

Cutting at an angle..  an inverted V shape (^)...  (so that they're 6 inches tall) is recommended when you're transplanting or need to cut down on excessive foliage. This allows the  Iris  to have some air circulating around it & lets the rhizome get more sun to dry out, which helps prevent disease & rot. It'll also make it easier for you to spot & eliminate any critters that might start to do damage.

Here's some pictures of how they're pruned on an  (^)  angle. Notice how the shape of the angle allows water to drain off quickly:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78245414@N0...

http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/step...

http://www.region18.com/bearded_iris.htm (scroll down page)

You can prune the foliage when you're preparing the plants for digging and transplanting & if you need to remove diseased foliage, or if the foliage is over-grown... however, Iris foliage doesn't need to be pruned back each year, & a reasonable amount of foliage is needed to build up food reserves for flowering the next spring.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plant...

BTW, you should cut off the stem that has finished flowering at the base, since it's no longer productive & isn't useful or helpful for the plant.

Good luck!!!  Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

In the fall I always prune my back to about 6 inches in the fan shape that was mentioned.  I've always read that is the shape that is best for them.  Some gardening literature says that pruning in not necessary.  I like my flowerbed to look a little neater over the winter.

This illustrates what I mean by fan shape.

The image on the left is the pant before pruning and image on the right is shape I prune mine into.

http://www.dutchbulbs.com/images/article...

Answer 3

I know this isn't really what you asked, but I had an established bed of irises that came with a house I purchased. I lived there about 6 years and I just mowed them a couple of times in the summer after they had their blooming season. They always came back, and I had neighbors who thinned them out once because they wanted some to plant in their yard. I liked to look at them but I didn't want anything that took too much maintenance. They are obviously pretty hardy.

Answer 4

It is my understanding that cutting the stems at an angle makes them healthier, but I do not know why.  A lady who lived by me for many years shared that with me, she is no longer here, but in a nursing home.   I like to sometimes just let the stems be.   It softens everything to see the green.

When I am weeding however, I do cut them back, as it is easier to get the weeds out.