I do have a bit of a "thing" about removing old leaves from Bearded Iris: this has always been for two reasons, but now it has gone up to three.
As soon as a leaf goes yellow-ish, and droops, then it is no longer photosynthesising, and therefore of no particular use to the plant: it has done its duty, and is time to gracefully retire, not hang about going limp and mushy.
Like these ones: these are Bearded Iris which were lifted a month ago, and given temporary planting, as they are going to go to another garden, later in the year. As always, when lifting Bearded Iris, the leaves were cut back to a low fan shape, because they are otherwise very top heavy, and will fall over before the roots have a chance to establish themselves.
And, a month later, the outer leaves are dying off - this is nothing to do with them being cut off short, by the way, it's the natural process of these Iris: new leaves (and flowering stems) form in the centre of each fan, and the outside ones die off.
So at this point, I leap on them like a dervish and remove those dying leaves.
So what are my two - now three - reasons?
Reason One:
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