This is my first time with growing irises(sp)
When the bloom is wilted, what do I do so it comes back next year???
I just plunked them in the ground last fall after a friend gave me a bunch, and was totally amazed they grew and flowered this year. But I am at a loss as what to do now??
Any help?

HI sybil let them be you should not have to any thing to them for abought 3 years. they will multiply and get lots more blooms each year. when they really get growing into big clumps then you can divide them and replant them so you will have more.just make sure you don't plant them to deep just deep enough to cover the rhizome root system very lightly with soil they love full sun.heres a link that i think will help you.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/iris.html
in the mean time just let them grow do not cut anything off them it uses the old growth as food for next years blooms.heres a couple of photos of some of my iris from this year they are 3 year old plants.which i will divide this year.
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0TADtArMVjTWFH*PMALjtFevsSgQdX*pgWvfcUffIkWn3jr4gKFqFZ7mGLSJM1MEuKibg4rQ9M9DBcdyi2bRzOC04UsNJIjjSzqQvV5*pY6R5A2El4eAgEA/May06101.JPG?dc=4675526687599178909[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0SgAAAFIVIQPp0Z5cQ9Zv2sB4cDK*WSAb*zYP!kDJpFWerEqWzTeyb*PKt946FMXnvaocOuU*ZGu18aeieet4lBOjTa31TaxfgJiFevJ03H!Uxy7i8I9M*w/May06%5E92.JPG?dc=4675521301054968603[/img]
hope this helps.your friend in gardening.mike57

I have some 17 year old *or older* Iris that have been growing outside my door since before i moved into this house I really haven't done ANYTHING to then besides keep the japanese knotweed from blocking them out. So ya, they're pretty care free ^.^ besides that whole watering thing lol

~Phoebe

WOW Mike - those are gorgeous! I have a small patch of irises and only get a few blooms each year from them. Do they need any feeding?

HI LYNNE I dont feed mine but i do give them a nice drink of water in the hottest part of the summer in the early morning abought twice a week if we get no rain they like moist well drained soil.I DO FEED them Bonemeal in the hole when i plant them as i do with all my bulb and risome plants.hope this helps.your rfiend in gardening.mike57

Wow, thanks Mike, I really love your iris'
I think the flower looks rather stately..
Your help is much appreciated. Now I shall go tell the iris that they are on their own and should grow, grow, grow.

lol@sybil

Hi,
You could pop just the dead flower head off and leave the stem if it starts to drive you mad but usually I just let mine do their own thing as well. My dad sells irises commercially so all of mine started from his garden. You should see his field when they are all in bloom. Artists set up easels to paint the garden. It's quite amazing. I have to get my pictures uploaded so I can share them one of these days. Irises are wonderfully easy plants to grow, good luck!

The only thing I ever do is divide them. I don't water or fertilize. I also have some around the house that I cut back once the bloom has faded and they always come back.

Ok, I just found out what I did wrong, I think. My mother gave me a bunch of Irises and I didn't have anywhere to put them, so we just dug a hole in the yard and stuck them there for the time being. I watered them almost everyday and they died. I finally got fed up and run them over with the mower last week and they are already coming back. There is still hope!!!

HI Vada even though run over them with the mower i think they will be ok just put them where you would like them to grow but dont cover them to deep just barely cover the risomes water them in real well the just water them when they get dry dont soke the all the time.it can take iris a couple of years befor they start to bloom.even the fan of the leaves are pretty but i bet next year you should have a few blooms.some folks dont water theres at all.i do because it keeps them sprouting out more and puting on new growth during the dry seasion.just water the root system abought 1 time a week in hot dry weather.hope this helps.your friend in gardening.mike57

Thanks Mike. We will be moving them tomorrow.