Re: CULT--CUTTING FOLIAGE

Rick's advice is good.  Somewhere the tradition got started of cutting down
iris foliage after blooming, and many old-time gardeners here swear by the
practice (instead of at it, as I do).  It only weakens the plants.  But
here our growing season is so long that if other cultural practices are
good, it seems to make little difference.  Perhaps the foliage of many
older irises (many newer ones, too) becomes unsightly from fungal leaf spot
during the humid summer, and cutting it off is way of getting it out of
sight and partially controlling the disease.

I find that fungal leaf spot can be reduced very significantly by a cleanup
in the fall and spring of OLD, WITHERED leaves, which are burned.  Then I
(perhaps illegally) use Benomyl spray on any cases that occur.  Result is
very little leaf spot.

I have a suspicion that cutting off the foliage of JI and Sibs prematurely
can affect bloom the next year--no experimental evidence, but I don't
remove the foliage from these types until it is good and dead.

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@tiger.hsc.edu>
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