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Irises what next?

JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
in Plants
i have had some beautiful irises for the first time this year. They are almost finished flowering now so what’s next? Should I deadhead them, let them die back etc?

As they have never flowered for me before I have never had to figure out what to do with them. 
Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    When all the petals have dropped, just pinch the flower heads off to stop it wasting energy making seed.
  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
    Fidget ones once the leaves die back should I lift and dry the bulbs like tulips and daffy. All are in pretty shallow soil so I don’t usually let my other bulbs stay in the pots.
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
  • InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568
    Why do you lift and dry your tulips and daffs? You shouldn't mess with hardy bulbs or tubers unless they become overcrowded and exhaust the soil or you want to propagate them. Just deadhead, as Fidget says, and add some bonemeal to the soil. After a few years the clump will spread out and die in the centre. That is the time to replant. Good luck.
    Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.
  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
    Unfortunately I only have a terrace so everything is pot grown and space is a premium. My pots all get used for summer plants once the bulbs die back. 
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    @Inglezinho - in the parts of Britain with wet winters or poorly-drained soil, we have to lift tulips after they've flowered because they won't flower the next year if we just leave them in the ground... daffs are usually ok though.  However, in @Jacquimcmahon's case she obviously has no option but to lift her bulbs after they've flowered.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
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