I'm the last one to tell you what to do as I'm just getting started and learning the hard way. I barely covered the whole rhizome, it may have delayed their blooming, but they spread and do what they want anyway. They are blooming their heads off, year 3, think I may have lost a year but gained in the end.

I'd cut the flower stalks off now if I was doing it with no one to advise.

They say not to mulch. I didn't but let the fall leaves stay, it's nature's way anyway, and didn't seem to slow anything down. No wood mulch though, I pull it away and leave them clear.

The bigger ones I'd cut down too far, s/b about one-third, they bounced back, leave the smaller ones be for now unless the tips die back, and they say to point the rhizhome in the direction you want them to spread. Also if you plant them on a hillside, I think you're supposed to point the rhizomes down toward the bottom of hill for support rather than up, maybe someone can correct me on that.

They thrive in poor soil, maybe even do better, and need little water but some later in the summer if no rain.

I wish I had more room for them and they bloomed longer. I'm really becoming enthused about bearded iris. I think they're probably most effective in a circular or curved bed or in straight rows, or clumps with daisies or a few perennials. We had a long existing row separating the property line on one side at our rental house of the ones you describe when I was a kid, never did a thing to them, beautiful and healthy every year.

I'm curious what others do. If they take too much fussing, OTHER THAN dividing and thinning out, I won't bother with them.

Unless you are in a very dry climate, don't mulch them, and don't plant them with soil on top. If they don't have any anchor roots, you may have to put a rock or a brick or something to keep the fan upright, but try and remember to take it off in a few months. No fertilizer, and no water if you live where it rains.

The next ones I'll try to do as you say, mad_gallica even though I don't like the look of it. They may do better. Don't they tend to settle in the way they want to grow anyway? When they start spreading, I don't see any sign of uncovered rhizomes, and they seem happy.

I do believe some probably require a little more tlc than others.

some people are lucky to never have to care for their iris...they never seperate them or clean out the bed...they mow them, burn them and they still come back strong....im not that lucky....i have to baby mine to no end...make sure after planting that you keep an eye on them because over a short time dirt can cover the bulb and that causes them to rot...i would not mulch....iris bulbs loves sun to shine on their bulbs...after bed is crowded then you have to seperate them....take out all mushy rotted bulbs and make sure to clean out beds so no rotted leaves and things smothers the bulbs.....some people only plant in late summer or very early fall....i also plant in spring when i find or see a color i want...hope this helps

Well. I'm new to this too on my own, but my mother has had iris for almost 50 years. I remember when she thinned her iris when I was younger. I took the ones she tossed and play "garden" in the woods around our farm site. I think they still bloom each year, that was over 35 years ago.

It may be that a new bed and an overgrown bed take less care while the middle status, if healthy, takes little care? I'd love to hear further discussion on this.

If they still have the foliage, you need to cut it down to about 4" above the rhizome in a upside down v. Then when you plant them only deep enough to cover the roots and maybe 1/3 or the rhizome. Planting too deep will result in rot, delayed blooms, no blooms.

Congratulations on your rescue & new addiction!

I began a rescue/ID project last year at a nearby cemetary. There were lots of historics growing there. I rescued some that were being cut by the lawn mower, just tiny bits, enough to grow & for ID.

I'm glad I took some of those last year as I talked to the caretake this spring about my project to ID & map out the iris in that cemetary and she told me that they have imposed a new "height restiction" on plants and are removing many of the iris that outgrow that. Then she invited me to come back & get starts of anything I need, especially after October when they mow everything to the ground!

Some of the historic iris that I rescued last year are already gone from the cemetary.

In my climate, because it is extremely arid, especially during our z5 cold winters, we often plant iris up to 1 inch below the surface. So long as the fan where the leaves emerge sticks out at the top of the soil it will still bloom. My grandmother used to say "plant iris like a duck with his head in the water & its tail in the air". If your climate is wetter, then do consider planting the rhizomes higher.

Mulch is OK, especially in the first winter, if you remove it in early spring when the plants start growing again. As with depth of planting, consider the typical moisture content in your climate. You don't want to promote rot.

Here, again, we don't cut the foliage. It acts as a good insulation in the winter. We cut anything that needs tidying up in the spring once growth has restarted. But, we don't have borers to worry about. In areas where iris borers are a problem, cutting the foliage off is fall helps to remove the eggs & control the pest.

Cutting foliage down on newly planted iris can help the plant focus its efforts on root development w/o it having to worry about keeping leaves hydrated. It is a personal preference and again the moisture levels in your climate will determine how much of a help it is.

If you enjoy historic iris consider joining the Historic Iris Preservation Society (HIPS).