How to Cut Back Iris

Many publications will tell you -- erroneously -- that the common iris, also known as "the common man's orchid," needs to be trimmed back on a yearly basis. Actually, irises should be allowed to grow naturally for up to three years, with any pruning or cutting being done only to remove diseased foliage or in preparation for transplantation. It is, however, necessary to "thin" an iris plant every two or three years to keep it healthy, during which time you will need to prune back the stalks.

Things You'll Need

Cutting implement
Disinfectant made of one part bleach and nine parts tap water

Shovel

Instructions

- 1
  Cut back the foliage to about a third of its original height. If the foliage is diseased, make sure you cut into the stalks well below the diseased area. Wash your cutting implement in the disinfectant solution if you accidentally cut into a diseased leaf. This will prevent the infection from spreading when you continue your pruning.
- 2
  Dig under a single clump of Iris roots and lift the full clump out of the ground.
- 3
  Cut the root clump into several sections, each containing between one and three buds. Make sure there are several inches of healthy large roots, which are actually rhizomes, and an intact smaller root structure in each smaller section.
- 4
  Discard any stunted or diseased clumps of iris, then re-plant the smaller clumps at even intervals of about 12 to 24 inches.
- 5
  Water the irises immediately after re-planting to settle the dirt around the root structure.

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