Iris, do I need to cut them?

[applecatchers36]

They have stopped flowering but leaves very tall should I cut them, trim them or do anything or just leave for next year?

No, don't trim them. The leaves are there for a purpose - they're building up food supplies to help the iris last through the winter and produce good flowers next year.

Thanks so much Mere

I volunteered on the rock garden at Kew years ago, and we were taught to trim them when they started looking a bit scruffy. But only halfway down, so the bottom half of the leaf was still feeding the plant.

If they look ugly then you could hide them with a later flowering plant in front of them. Tuck them behind as much as possible.

The seed heads can look quite interesting in the winter but are brown. I imagine dead heading them will stop the plant putting energy into making seeds so yes, dead head them, though I don't do mine.

I do the same as bluemoon. I love the seed heads covered with frost and the hollow stems are great for overwintering insects.