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| Hello,
I have a dilemma. Three weeks ago I planted about fifty iris rhizomes from schreiners. They were all a lovely quality, but now three weeks later about five irises are sending up flower stalks. I don't know what to do. Should I just leave them alone and hope for the best for next year or should cut the flower stalks? Thanks for any advice you can give! Here's a picture of one of the irises
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by hosenemesis SoCal Sunset 19 USDA (My Page) on Sat, Oct 6, 12 at 17:37
| Gee, you sure can grow those irises! Are any of these listed as reblooming varieties? I would cut off the stalks if there is going to be a hard frost, but otherwise I would leave them. Sorry- I'm in Southern California, so I don't have any ideas what your conditions are like. Good luck! |
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- Posted by AprilAlliums 6b (My Page) on Sat, Oct 6, 12 at 18:08
| Thanks Renee. No, none of them are reblooming (the one I showed is monet's blue) as I didn't want to intermix reblooming with nonreblooming because they require different conditions, which is why it really mystified me as why some are flowering. But we aren't expecting any frosts, so I guess I will enjoy the blooms, and hope for the best next spring. Thanks! April |
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| Many factors influence rebloom: climate, light, heritage and well grown rhizomes (which these obviously are). Notice the increase is already growing. Let them bloom and enjoy! Cutting off the bloom will do little to promote growth and increase which you can see is all in place. |
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| Since you are in a cold winter area I would cut the bloom as soon as color begins to show. Enjoy indoors in a vase. But, energy is being used by the bloom stalk that could be used for other purposes. I've not read of the demise of rhizomes due to leaving the off-season bloom stalk on to open. What has been reported is the failure to bloom the following spring. |
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- Posted by AprilAlliums 6b (My Page) on Sun, Oct 7, 12 at 22:39
| Hello iris gal, Maybe I will cut the stalks. You're describing my exact dilemma. If you know of reports of off season blooms hindering bloom the following spring, I think I will cut all the stalks. So the rhizome can save what energy for next spring. April |
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| Just my opinion, but I would keep the flower stalk. That rhizome will not produce another flower stalk anyway, next year's flowers will depend on the offset rhizomes & whether they are mature enough to bloom. Perhaps the mother rhizome could put more energy into their growth rather than the bloom, but I'm not convinced it would be enough to make a difference. I'm certainly no expert, it was only 3 or 4 years ago I learned that rhizomes only bloomed once. |
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Mon, Oct 8, 12 at 12:10
| The problem with fall bloom is that frost-damage stalks lead to rot. At this point, there isn't a lot you can do about it, one way or the other. |
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- Posted by ladyrose65 6bNJ (My Page) on Mon, Nov 26, 12 at 21:30
| You got some really good soil. Do you use any mulch? I'm new and I can see your rhizomes at ground level. I'm thinking maybe I planted mine too deep again. |
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