Fall Care for daylilies and Iris

I posted the question of what kind of care should be given daylilies in preparation for winter and got interesting answers from mostly colder climates; I am wondering what we Carolina gardeners do--really?
Should I fertilize now, cut foliage back, mulch--or do what I have usually done in the past--Nothing! I had some really nice blooming new seedling this year that I would like to be especially kind to, so that they maybe will do especially well next spring.

Same questions concerning bearded iris

Interestingly, I see the zone indicator now says I am in zone 8a not 7b like I have been in the past----global warming, eh? Since I retired and spend more time in the garden I've adopted the attitutude--If I like the plant I try to grow it, if it survives good, if it doesn't I put it in container or forget it. Interesting how many things grow and survive that aren't suppose to.

This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 2:46 AM

Gessie, in your climate some daylilies are evergreen and some lose their leaves. If you do not know the varieties just leave them be and groom them as (or if) leaves die off. It is always a good idea to mulch for the winter. Even if it does not get too cold, the mulch is good for the soil.

Sorry, I don't know a thing about bearded iris.

Gessie- For me, to be quiet honest, I have done nothing to the daylilies and bearded irises in my plots. I only divide them about every 2-3 years and that's it. I've never fertilized, mulch, sprayed, etc. I may of course tidy up the dead leaves and stalks of the daylilies and mabye, just maybe cut the irises into that classic pyrmiad prunned look. But really, I don't do much to them.

For me I guess, I double digged all my plots in the way beginning, maybe that's helped. Not sure. Here's some pics of some new irises I recived and some pics of daylilies I have:

this one, the trader sent it to me already pruned like this.:))

Kwanso Fulva - top left clump of the pic. Never do much to it either. Will divide next year probably.

This message was edited Sep 20, 2007 1:09 AM

Kwanso Fulva - in May before blooming.

I do nothing. Mine stay green all year and I just trim off any dead leaves.

I do nothing, I might put some compost, etc, around the plants at the end of winter to give them a boost in early spring, but that's it.

I just mulch lightly with pinestraw and trim any brown foliage.
Deb

Ditto Deb. I don't do a thing with the daylilles. They just take care of their own business...

And, may I say, thank goodness they do! Got enough stuff that takes effort;-) Don't want to manufacture work where none is needed!

I have mine in containers and I just let them die back and occasionally remove the dried leaves.
Today I cleaned up the tall bearded iris bed in front. I just pulled out all of the dried leaves, took some garden scissors and cut back the green leaves into 4-5 inch fans. I'm actually going to be digging them up and relocating them but I have to give them a good soaking so I won't have to struggle. I let them go too long without dividing and they're suffering for it. I did find that I have a ton of glads that have parked themselves in the middle of the iris and are now loaded with baby corms. I'll never get all of them so I'm sure in a couple of years I'll see more glads poking up through the iris again=)