How to Grow Wonderful Irises in Your Garden - Tips and Tricks from Personal Experience

Several years ago I happened to be at an exhibition of real varietal irises. The beauty and variety of colors of these flowers amazed me so much that I decided to purchase several species for trial. Now I have over 100 varieties.

In my collection there are terry, satin, velvety irises, the number of shades of which is impossible to count. They contain almost all the colors of the rainbow. And each of them has a subtle special scent. In this article I will share my experience in growing irises.

Some interesting facts

• the shape of the iris flower is such that it is visible in its entirety: both outside and inside;
• they have a bright spot on the petals bent downwards. If it has a yellow fringe, it is called "bearded", without a fringe - "beardless";
• this flower is called a rainbow - it is impossible to count the number of iris shades. It really seemed to have grown from fragments of a rainbow that crashed to the ground. But among all the shades there is not a single scarlet due to the absence of the gene responsible for this tone in the flower;
instagram viewer
• Iris bloom in 2-4 days, and my irises bloom continuously from April to July. The secret is in the different flowering times from very early to late. Distribute the seedlings correctly according to the flowering period, and your garden will shimmer with all the shades of the rainbow for a long time.

A bit of history

• the first image of a wondrous flower was discovered in 2100 BC. on the Greek island of Crete;
• iris got its name in honor of the goddess of the rainbow in ancient Greek mythology;
• in India, the iris flower has adorned the famous Taj Mahal cathedral since 1632;
• in Christianity, lilac irises symbolize the purity and sadness of the Virgin Mary.

Let's talk about the secrets of successfully growing irises

Irises are resilient and require little maintenance. But there are several rules, without which flowers can not only lose their beauty, but also perish. They are worth talking about.

Choosing a landing site - a few important rules:

• planting irises requires an open area with the morning sun;
• shaded lowlands with high humidity and places with closely located groundwater are not suitable. All diseases of irises are from dampness;
• coexist well next to fruit trees, especially apple trees.

Well-prepared soil is the key to success

• add sand and ash. If the soil is clayey and heavy, sprinkle generously with sand. The bigger, the better. At the end, add ash and some potash-phosphorus fertilizers. Use nitrogenous substances with caution. They enhance the growth of leaves and grind flowers;
• planting mustard. Mustard is the best green manure, a plant that helps to restore and saturate the soil with useful substances. We sow in early spring so that it has time to rise and bloom. At this time, the maximum amount of nutrients accumulates. We put the seedlings on the beds, cut them with a shovel and dig them up. The earth becomes light and fluffy. You can plant irises.

Quality planting material:

It is important that the cuttings (cuttings separated from the rhizome) are not soft and damp. In this case, there is a danger of decay. The drier the tubers, the better they will take root. Leaves and roots should be pruned to 15 cm. Leaves so that there is no excess moisture evaporation, and the roots so that they do not wrap inward when planting.

We plant correctly:

There are several important points when planting plants:

• we straighten the roots of the delenka in different directions and gently press them into the ground so that they do not twist;
• the back of the rhizome should be open and rise slightly above the ground so that the root does not rot;
• for disinfection, lightly sprinkle with ash.

Breaking out the peduncle

Blooming is the most beautiful time. If you choose the right varieties, irises on your site will bloom for 1.5-2 months, alternating one after the other. But flowering ends, and the life of the flower continues. You do not need to deplete the flowers by ripening the seeds and for this you need to remove the peduncle.

• it is better to do breaking out in the morning;
• we press on the stem of the peduncle, directing the force to the rhizome and it breaks off easily;
• we do not cut off and do not leave any "stumps" from them: they collect pathogenic bacteria;
• After removing the peduncle, remove the grass and dry leaves around the flower in order to warm it up well in the sun and dry it.

Reproduction of irises

Digging and dividing the rhizomes can be carried out one month after flowering. But best of all in early August, since irises have different flowering times.

Choosing which flowers need to be planted. Flowers, the roots of which diverge to the sides and do not interfere with each other, do not touch. We deal with those whose roots intertwine and interfere with each other. It is easy to determine the age of the plant by the excavated root, since it is clearly visible how many times daughter shoots have formed on it.

It should be remembered that 4 years is a critical period for irises. The roots intertwine and interfere with each other. The plant will not die, but the flowers are crushed and lose their former beauty. Anti-aging division is necessary.

We divide the rhizome into separate fans (a piece of rhizome with a fan of cut green leaves and roots). By the number of leaves, you can tell when a new flower will bloom. If there are seven leaves in a fan, the flower will bloom the next year. If less - only after two years.

Let's talk about flower diseases

As I already said, dryness is not terrible for irises - prolonged dampness is dangerous. Three main diseases originate from her:

1. Root rot. When inspecting plants in the spring, dry cuttings can be seen that are easily removed from the ground. Lingering rains and damp spring ruined the flower. It is worth carefully examining it and cutting off the damaged areas to healthy tissue without removing it from the ground. The plant will definitely recover.
2. Bacteriosis is a more formidable disease. Rhizome rot. It begins with a slight yellowing of the leaves at the bottom, and rot appears at the base of the fan with a characteristic and very unpleasant odor. In this case, it is necessary not only to completely remove the damaged plant, but also the land in which it grew. Fill the formed recess with ash. Treat the cut sites with ash and leave for ventilation.
3. Leaf spot - spots that appear on the leaves from dampness. These leaves must be removed. If you do not fight, then the leaf spot will gradually move on and the plant will not receive nutrients. The cut sites must be treated with phytosporin.

Plant resuscitation

If the plant is more than 4 years old and the rhizome has crumbled from time to time or it died for another reason (and this is a valuable variety), there are ways to restore it.

• we disassemble the bush into parts and select healthy children. They will not bloom next year, but we will keep the valuable variety;
• if there are no children, you can fight for a rotten rhizome. We cut off all the soft parts to healthy tissue and lubricate the sections with brilliant green. Irises are very viable, they will be able to germinate even from a piece of rhizome.

Observe a few important rules for growing irises: a dry, sunny place for planting, well-prepared soil, timely rejuvenating division and treatment against diseases - and you will become the owner of real treasures in your garden.