josieskid said:......... This makes three varieties in my garden, but the addiction I was referring to was hybridizing them! I get enough of that with daylilies!

That's how I started out, and 3-4 varieties eventually became over a 1000, soooo, be veeery careful. I can see how Daylilies, can become another obsession as well. There are some amazing colors and patterns -- all appearing in the last few years or so. I follow the development of another of different plant genera, -- Glads, Roses, Dahlias, Iris (obviously) and Daylilies, and I've never seen a plant group develop so many different colors, patterns, and flower forms so rapidly as the daylilies, especially in the last 20 years or so. They easily rival iris in terms of advancement.

Evelyn, i thought it was irisitis not iris virus. Or am I thinking something else.

my 4 irises from the HIPS sale are about to be shipped.

Mary, yes,, my original lady shovel was actually the Lady Gardener Brand. And my current one is designed similarly. It has a smaller than standard blade, and a shorter "D" handle. Those two features make it easier for me (with my 5'4" height and limited strength) to dig planting holes in our rocky/clay soil. It's simply perfect for me.

Here is one that looks like the one I have https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052X7WMO/

Mary. It's nice to meet some people from the daylily forums so I'm not a total stranger when I need to ask a question there

Daisy ~ I have one similar. It is shorter, I think.

Mine is also shorter. I have two so there's always one in the shed and one in the garage. "Be prepared".

Arlene, yes, I use a larger shovel for transferring mulch, and the small one with D handle for digging planting holes. So both get used. I am a great believer in having the right tools for the job.

Ditto!

I thank all of you for the great information. I should NEVER check out sites that have Iris' for sale. I know I am addicted . I've heard the first step in getting help is to admit the addiction..... I don't want help like that though. Jo 😂

jowburrow
This is a fun group of people, but don't look here for help, enabling yes, help no.

Jowburrow
How many irises do you have?

jowburrow.

Jo ~ to the Iris Forum!

This is a good place where members share ideas and learn from one another the best techniques for growing irises, and other iris-related information.

Welcome to the forum, Jo!

So I've been reading this thread because I was about to ask the same question re cutting back iris leaves. First I should say that I have no idea what y'all mean by 'cutting back'. What I'm thinking of would be more of a 'trim'. Maybe I should have taken these pictures after measuring the length of the leaves. I'd go do it now if I wasn't afraid to go outside due to brutal heat and hordes of mosquitoes aka vampires.

I know these need to be divided but that'll be another day.

1st picture was taken on May 26th. An unhelpful helper planted these for me in my perennial bed so you'll see some sages as well as a bronze fennel starting to set seed. So anyway, note how the leaves are flopping over.



Next picture was taken on July 2nd. These are planted in a bed of their own, and yes they need to be divided. But what I hope the picture shows is that some of these leaves are getting really floppy.



I was thinking about a trim so they'd be about half of their length, more or less. Reading what y'all have already said, I'm guessing I should wait. But hey! I might start tripping over some of these leaves. (kidding)

All but one or two are NOID TBs.

So opinions? Advice? Please and thank you.

They are nice healthy looking leaves, why trim them. Most often if trimming is done it's done late in the fall when the leaves are half dead and look bad. The plant is using the leaves to make build roots and rhizomes so I'd leave them alone.

Leaves make food for the roots and rhizomes.

tveguy3 said:They are nice healthy looking leaves, why trim them. Most often if trimming is done it's done late in the fall when the leaves are half dead and look bad. The plant is using the leaves to make build roots and rhizomes so I'd leave them alone.

Leon said, "Leaves make food for the roots and rhizomes."

with Tom and Leon.