My irises are finished can I cut back the stalk now? and the Peonies?

Removing the stock from these plants after they have finished blooming will take away from next years flowers. An iris uses the nutrients from the stock to replenish the tuber. Let the stock die back by it's self. Cut them to about 1 to 2 inches above the ground in late fall. That's the draw back of irises. They don't look good for very long. As tip you can plant other flowers in the same area that will bloomer later in the summer or fall. The other plants can hide the stocks of the irises

My irises are finished can I cut back the stalk now? and the Peonies?
I normally just cut only the stalk that the blooms were on when they shrivel and turn brown. You should leave the rest of the plant intact. The leaves of the iris and the peony both feed the bulb and tubers that they are growing from and give them the energy they will need to make lots of flowers for next year. I cut my iris in the fall and I start on one side and cut it in a sort of fan shape (up to the center and back down the other side, about 4-5 inches from the ground. My peony I just let it go dormant in the fall on its own and then I clean up the dead leaves and stems and wait for the new growth in the spring. I mulch the area lightly around the peony but not the irises because they do not like to be overly damp or the tubers will rot.


I hope this helps!


~smiles~
Reply:Cut back the flower stalks, but leave the leaves alone so they can make food for next year.
Reply:You could but I usually like to wait and allow the bulbs to split so I would have double the fallowing season..