Growing and caring for irises outdoors

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The flower, named after the goddess of the rainbow Iris, has been the leading flower in the list of popular garden plantings for many centuries. The bizarre curves of the bud, an incredibly extensive palette of shades do not leave indifferent breeders, pushing them to create new and new varieties.

Have you also decided to decorate your front garden by planting irises outdoors? Do it boldly - caring for them will not take much time and effort.

Species difference

Among the many varieties and varieties of these rainbow flowers, several main groups stand out. After reviewing them, you can choose a plant option for your own version of the conditions. The rules for planting and caring for irises in the open field depend, first of all, on the type of underground part: rhizomes or bulbs.

Most iris species get their nutrients through their thick roots. Dutch hybrids are propagated by bulbs.

So, a little about species differences:

1. Bearded - this is exactly the most numerous and most common group, with monochromatic or rainbow colors and tints. These varieties of irises are border, medium, tall. They love landing on a sand pillow.
2. Siberian - the most unpretentious to care for, frost-resistant, practically do not get sick. Moreover, the planting of these plants can completely cleanse the soil from bacteriosis. There is only one drawback - the complete absence of the scent of flowers.
3. Japanese ones resemble orchids in appearance. They are so unusual in their graceful appearance, how capricious they are to care. They tolerate wintering very badly, most often they are stored for the winter in dry containers or covered with a waterproof film.
4. Swamp - in complete contrast to the Japanese, the most tenacious. They have one requirement - a lot of moisture. Irises are often planted to decorate home ponds.
5. Xyphilum, which is most often used for bouquets, is a bulbous hybrid of iris, bred by Dutch growers. Xyphylums do not grow high, they are relatively winter-hardy, although they cannot tolerate very low temperatures without shelter.

Features of planting irises

1. Plant the rhizome varieties of irises not deeply, they like to part of the root warming up in the sun.
2. The peculiarity of the growth of the roots is such that they are placed in a circle.
3. The best time to transplant rhizomes is 2 weeks after the end of flowering, but irises take root well both in spring and autumn.
4. The choice of location depends on the variety. Bearded irises like moderate illumination, it is good for them to be in direct rays in the morning. It is advisable to place them at some height in order to avoid stagnant water.
5. Marsh and Siberian varieties, on the contrary, feel good in wetlands, tolerate partial shade well.
6. When planting irises, the soil is well fertilized, but without the use of manure.
7. When planting, it is important to water the wells abundantly, do the second watering no earlier than 3 days later.
8. Bulbous irises are planted in autumn, September or early October. The planting depth is 7-8 cm, the distance between individual bulbs is at least 15 cm. After planting, the bulbs are well covered with mulch for the winter, using fallen dry leaves, sawdust, hay, spruce branches for this. After the snow melts, with the onset of the first spring warmth, do not forget to open the bushes for access to the sun.

What irises love

Although common varieties of irises are undemanding to care, planting these flowers in the open field needs watering, feeding, loosening the soil, removing weeds, and pruning for the winter.

Watering

All varieties of irises, except for marsh irises, are drought tolerant. They need to be watered only in very dry periods, after the soil has completely dried out and during top dressing. To ensure complete rest during the transition to winter, irises are completely stopped from August.

Top dressing

The importance of feeding for "northern orchids" is that good nutrition provides the plant not only with more lush flowering, but also a strong and thick peduncle stalk that will not break from the wind. Fertilizers are used those that contain phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. It is impossible to feed these flowers with manure, from this rot is formed on the roots.

What's more important is the fertilization time. Feed your pets for the first time in early spring, when the first shoots are just forming.

The second fertilization is two weeks after the first, the third is two weeks after the end of flowering. The third feeding is the last of the year and the most important.

If you did not manage to fertilize the irises during this period, you should not do this later, since the abundance of nutrients will prevent the plant from preparing for hibernation. In this case, rhizome decay is possible.

Iris care after flowering

Outdoor care for iris plantings ends with the preparation of the plant for the winter period. Well-groomed irises delight the eye for a long time; during the wilting period, the stems of the peduncles need to be cut off. In August or early September, when the tops of the leaves begin to dry out, they are cut into a cone.

It is on the dried parts of the plant that the remains of pests and pathogens accumulated over the summer remain, so they need to be burned.

Iris rhizomes love to breathe. Covered for the winter with a dense layer of humus or straw, they begin to rot. The best insulation for them is to sprinkle the bare parts with earth, and in the snowy season, pour a lot of snow.

Diseases and pests

In general, all irises are very resistant to pathogens of various diseases that plants are exposed to. The main prevention of flower health is the timely removal of weeds and the introduction of fertilizing. Soft rot and bacteriosis can affect those rhizome species that are very deeply buried when planted. Most of the roots should be well warmed up by the sun.

If such a nuisance nevertheless happened, the wilting plant needs to be taken out, the affected part removed and the remaining part treated with a solution of manganese or iodine.

Of insect pests, irises are annoyed by wireworms, scoops, thrips, green bronze beetles. To combat them, the plant is treated with folk remedies or special agrochemistry preparations.