I compost some, maybe 1/4-1/3 of what I "harvest", and use the compost on the veggie garden, berry plants, etc., but not in the iris beds. The majority, is picked up by the village ,and goes to the "green waste" disposal site. They pick up gyard waste every 2-3 weeks, and I try to schedule my large "leaf-pullings to coincide with their pickup days...........Arlyn

So maybe if I made a separate compost pile I could use them in other parts of the yard away from the iris beds...

I'm still open to ideas from the rest of you, but this is a good starting place.

If you don't have to worry about iris borers, It should be OK, like Arlyn said to use them on other plants away from the iris.

The fungus that causes leaf spot is what I worry about, as well as the "rot" bacteria. Admittedly, both are present everywhere, anyway, and, if you grow lots of iris, there is probably ALREADY a higher concentration in your beds....but, there's no sense adding to it! "Hot" composting would eliminate most, if not all, the pathogens and insects.............but I'm too lazy to spend the extra effort, so I do the "cold' composting.
We are pretty fortunate that in our little village, we have some real good village employees ! The kind that stop the truck to pick up a candy wrapper, blowing in the street ! So, when these guys see you have a wheelbarrow load, or even see you working in the bed, they stop and ask if "That going to the dump?!"...."We'll be back!"....so they actually pick up the green waste, branches, leaves, etc. ,almost as soon as a pile is started at the curb. That makes "trashing" the iris parts really easy for me!......Arlyn

Wow Arlyn -- that's what I call Public Service. Not something you see very often!!

That can be the kind of service you get when the municipality opperates it's own garbage collection, instead of hiring it done by a private sector company for a higher cost. (They have to make a profit) The peole work for you, not for some company owned by people who may not even live in your community or area, and they feel obligated to do a good job for you. Of course local polititions can't line their pockets to accept outraious bids for these services, so most communities don't do this, and pollitians call it "Socialism" to make sure they don't loose the cash cow!

All this talk of leaf spot and rot reminds me that I have a question too. My poor Venita Faye is having what I would call an opposite rot problem. The rhizome is large and healthy, and has a new increase starting, but the original fan is rotting off. I just got the rhizome a month ago, so the fan had been cut down. The remaining V of leaves were tightly packed. The top started turning brown and then soggy. I cut off the soggy parts. The leaves have had a bleach bath and fungicide. I have spread the leaves apart to allow them to dry out (they are really moist), but there is still some soggy decay going on. I would really like to save my rhizome. Should I just get rid of the rest of the fan and hope for the best?

I have had alot of this issue in my garden. It (for me) usual does not affect the rest of the increases, just the increase that is rotting (or the main fan). I just lost one Tuscan Summer and one Raven Girl yesterday to the same problem.

I completely lost my Venita Faye in the Spring to rot (before it ever bloomed for me)

yes, Leslie, take all of the fan off that has rot. Treat the wound where you removed the fan, sprinkle with comet and let it callous. The rhizome will put out new increases.

I think that sounds like the way to go, Leslie. Cut it off well below the "soft' area, even it it's right at the rhizome. Give the 'cut' area a squirt of either 10% bleach solution, or listerene, and maybe dust the area with Comet. I've had more rot issues this year than I have had for a long time. The biggest offender seems to me to be "crown rot", rather than "soft rot".....the center fan will be fine one day, and laying on the ground the next, with the rotted area wet, but not slimy, or very "smelly"...any side increases , even the tiny ones, seem to be unaffected. So far, none of the newly planted iris have been affected, just the "older" plants, and that makes me think it was the wacky winter, and the wet, cool spring and early summer that are the main culprits.................Arlyn

Thanks guys! Hadn't thought of crown rot. I have transferred it to a pot, so I will treat the area then bring it inside for a few days to dry out. (It's very hot & humid outside right now).

Poor Venita had surgery. All soft leaf is gone. Resting now in a pot after being dosed with Comet. Fingers crossed!

I got worried about my Venita Faye with all this talk... a gopher or mole had gone directly under the rhizomes (all 2 of them), so I had to remedy that... Might be why she's been so slow.. or maybe that's just her way....

She seems a bit misery prone for ATP members. Hope that turns around.