Irises: planting and care in the open field, description of varieties and cultivation

In the spring, irises bloom in the gardens. Their landing and care do not take much time from summer residents. Gardeners try to choose frost-resistant varieties with different flowering periods. Siberian, German, Japanese, marsh iris are grown in the middle lane.

Description and characteristics of the flower

Iris means rainbow in Greek. The name reflects the variety of colors of the flower. The root system develops in the topsoil. It comes in 2 types:

bulbous;
rhizomatous.

The upright light green leaves of irises are flat, xiphoid, arranged around the peduncle.

In the middle lane, irises bloom in late spring. Flowering ends in July. Outwardly, the flower resembles an orchid. Distinguish:

fouls - outer lobes (3 pcs.) of the perianth, they are located in the lower tier and turned downwards;
standards - inner lobes (3 pcs.) Perianth, located in the upper tier, they resemble a dome, curved upwards.

The color of the outer and inner petals is different. Flowers are often solitary, in some species collected in inflorescences. They live 1-5 days. The fruit is a long, ribbed capsule. One contains 25-45 seeds. They are large, brown.

Popular varieties of irises

According to the structure of the flower, all rhizomatous varieties of irises are divided into 2 groups: non-bearded, bearded. Varieties are classified according to the color of the petals, they are distinguished:

two-color;
single color;
variegata - red-brown bottom, yellow top;
bordered - the edge of the petals (border) is painted in a contrasting color.

Bearded irises

To make your garden irresistible, you need to decorate it with bearded irises. Their flower consists of 6 petals and a "beard" - a shaggy strip formed by short hairs. The “beard” is located in the area of the base of the fouls.

Dwarf21-40 Medium height Tall


41-70
Above 70

Pros of bearded irises:

abundant, long flowering;
disease resistance;
many varieties winter well without shelter.

Tall (up to 1 m) American two-color hybrid Suprim Sultan is popular among summer residents. The standards are ocher, the beard is bright yellow, the falls are dyed dark cherry. The petals are corrugated along the edge. Suprim Sultan blooms in May, June.

Winter-hardy, showy, tall Dutch hybrid Sultan Palace amazes with the beauty of large (diameter 15 cm) reddish-brown flowers. The structure of the petals is dense, velvety, the edge is corrugated, the color of the beard is yellow.

Other, no less spectacular varieties of bearded iris:

Super Hero;
Toronto;
Immortality;
Champagne W altz.

Germanic iris

A variety of bearded irises with a well-developed creeping rhizome. The german iris bush is formed by bluish-green flat leaves, pointed upwards. Plant height from 0.6 to 1.2 m. On peduncles are single dark purple flowers, yellow at the base.

This variety blooms in May, June. Germanic iris roots are dried, used as a spicy seasoning, decoctions are prepared to treat the throat, gallbladder.

Unbearded irises

This group of irises has no hairs ("beard") on the falls - the outer perianth lobes. Non-bearded varieties include frost-resistant Siberian, Japanese, spuria irises and heat-loving Louisiana, California.

Siberian iris

The color of flowers is blue-violet, diameter is from 4 to 7 cm. Plant height is 0.7-1 m. Siberian iris winters well, it can be grown from the 3rd to 9th frost resistance zone. Leaves 0.5-0.8 m high, linear, narrow (4 cm), light green, remain decorative until frost.

One bush of Siberian iris can produce up to 40 peduncles (straight, branching). Flowering lasts 2-4 weeks, begins in June. This variety loves moisture, grows well near water bodies. Popular varieties:

Hohenflug;
White Swirl;
Hohe Warte.

Japanese iris

This species grows in Japan and the Far East. Plants are thermophilic. Growing them in the middle lane is difficult. According to the size of the flowers, varieties of Japanese irises are divided into groups:

large, up to 25 cm in cross section;
small, up to 14 cm;
medium, about 17 cm.

The height of the bushes is 0.6-1 m. Varieties are popular with flower growers:

Mizutamaboshi;
Mikawa Itsuhashi;
Kamionomukashi.

Iris spuria

This variety is rare for Russian gardens. Iris spuria flowers differ in shape from other species. The shape of the internal lobes is elongated, tongue-shaped, they are widely spread. There is a round plate on the lower lobes.

Iris spuria blooms 3 weeks later and lasts longer than bearded forms. Flowers do not fade for 7 days. The leaves are bright green, pointed, decorative. Varieties for temperate climates:

Archie Owen;
Zamboanga;
Lenkoran;
Innovator.

Marsh iris

He is called yellow iris. This is a moisture-loving, perennial plant with a creeping, fibrous rhizome. The flowering period falls on the last days of June, the beginning of July. In nature, marsh iris grows along the banks of water bodies.

Growing varieties in gardens:

Flore Pleno;
Golden Queen;

Iris breeding

Iris is propagated by seeds, division of the rhizome. Experienced gardeners prefer the vegetative method. An annual link is used as planting material. It is a piece of rhizome and a fan of 7 leaves.

How to plant irises outdoors?

The soil is prepared a month before planting. The site is cleared of weeds, for 1 m² of soil they make:

1 bucket of sand;
2 tbsp. ash;
1 bucket of humus;
0.5 tbsp superphosphate.

Before planting, the soil must be watered once a week.

Preparation of planting material

Purchased planting material must be disinfected in a strong solution of manganese and dried in the sun. Before planting, you need to hold your delenki for 8 hours in the light. The sun's rays kill pathogenic bacteria, dry old roots. All sections must be powdered with crushed coal. Shorten roots by 10 cm, leaves - up to 10-15 cm.

When is the best time to plant irises: autumn or spring?

Delivery dates vary by region. In the south, bulbous varieties are planted in October, in a temperate climate - in September. For irises, the optimal time for planting is the end of August, early-mid September.

Late autumn planting is undesirable. The plant does not have time to take root, in the spring, due to thawing and freezing of the soil, its roots begin to protrude from the ground. For better rooting, the soil is watered with sodium humate (0.01% solution).

Where is the best place to plant?

The soil must be prepared in advance so that it has time to settle. After shallow digging, at least 2 weeks should pass. On fertile soil, the plant fattens, builds up a lot of green mass to the detriment of flowering.

When asked where it is better to plant irises, in the shade or in the sun, all experienced flower growers give an unequivocal answer - in the sun. With a lack of light, perennials first stop blooming, and eventually stop growing. Light partial shade in the afternoon is allowed.

How deep?

You don't need to plant deeply, you can not wait for flowering. You can't do it small either.The rhizome will freeze in winter. You need to plant a delenka to a depth of 3 cm. To do this, you need to dig a hole (10 cm), pour a small mound in the center. Plant a division on it, straighten the roots, sprinkle with soil, compact and water.

How far should I plant?

In the country, irises can be planted in rows, maintaining a distance of 0.5 m between them. It is recommended to adhere to the head-tail pattern. The head is called a part of the delenka with a fan of leaves, the tail is the area that was attached to the old rhizome.

Proper planting eliminates the intertwining of rhizomes. When planting irises in a circle, the "tails" look at the center of the flower bed. For tall varieties, the holes are arranged in increments of 40 cm, for short ones - 20 cm.

How to care for irises?

Proper care allows you to grow a flowering perennial. In August, it is important to feed the plant, as flower buds form at this time. In September, care is minimal. Iris leaves begin to turn yellow and die. Perennial this month is better not to disturb.

Temperature conditions

Perennial irises often freeze slightly due to the fact that the roots are almost on the surface of the earth. To avoid this, the soil is mulched in late autumn. In regions with little snowy winters, iris bushes are covered. In the spring, mulch and covering material is removed so that the roots do not rot.

Water the plants

Watered infrequently. Waterlogging causes wet bacterial rot, which leads to the death of the shoots. The need for moisture increases during flowering. In the heat, young plants are watered every 3-4 days.

Feeding and fertilizer

During the season, you need to carry out at least 3 dressings, the first - in April. At the beginning of the growing season, the perennial needs nitrogen; urea should be scattered around the perimeter of the bush. In May, some varieties bloom.

When buds appear, the bushes should be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Mass flowering continues in June. It is worth feeding again with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. The third similar top dressing should be carried out in August, when there is an active growth of green mass and the laying of flower buds.

Cutting

In June, irises are actively blooming. Withered flowers need to be cut off, already faded flower stalks should be cut out. Annual bushes should not be allowed to bloom. Cut out all flower stalks. This will speed up the development of the bush. The last pruning should be done in October in preparation for winter.

Transfer

The rhizome of the perennial is creeping, the bushes grow over the years. With a lack of space, they bulge out of the ground. Irises, if they are not replanted, degenerate, stop blooming. In temperate climates, transplantation is done in autumn: in September-October. It is at this time that the rooting of irises occurs faster.

In the south, the bush is divided and planted in the spring. Work is carried out from April 10-15 to May. The weather plays a decisive role. The soil should warm up.

Rules for transplanting irises:

water the bush well, dig it up with a shovel, take it out of the ground;
wash, divide into parts, each should have 1-2 annual links;
cut out all old roots;
remove dried leaves;
green leaves shortened to a length of 10 cm;
seed delenki in prepared soil, water.

Shelter of irises for the winter

Bearded varieties of iris must be covered for the winter. Their frost resistance may not be enough, the bushes may freeze during the winter. In early November, the leaves are cut in the form of a fan at a height of 10 cm from the ground.

After the onset of frost, the soil is mulched with humus or peat. A layer of 10 cm is poured around the iris bushes. The mulch should cover the rhizome. When the threat of thaw has passed, the flower bed with irises should be covered with spruce branches or covered with covering material, pinned to the ground.

Disease and pest control

Perennial susceptible to fungal infection. Diseased plants are identified by external signs.

Iris treatment Stop watering, destroy the affected parts of the plant Destroy the diseased plant, treat the ground and neighboring flowers with a fungicide solution Mosaic Heterosporiasis At the initial stage, white, gray spots, with further development of the disease, the leaves die off, the perennial diesRemoval of affected leaves, treatment of the bush with copper-containing preparations miAlternariosis Black plaque around the perimeter of leaf plates, leaf death The disease is viral, not cured, the infected bushes are destroyed, the soil is watered with Bordeaux mixture leavesCopper treatment

Rust	Leaves turn brown, dry, curl up	Treat once every 14 days with sulfur solution gray bloom
	Fusariosis	The root suffers, the plant fades due to lack of nutrition
Streaks and brown spots appear on the surface of the leaves	There are no drugs against the disease, the plant is removed

The nuances of growing in different regions of Russia

In the middle lane, it is recommended to mulch the soil after the temperature drops to 0 ° C. In the Moscow region, cover transplanted bushes and varieties with low winter hardiness only after the onset of frost.

In the Urals, in Siberia, all varieties of irises need to be mulched and covered for the winter. Pay special attention to young and transplanted perennials in autumn. Bushes are covered with spruce branches and wooden boxes, and in winter they are covered with snow.

Decorative qualities

Growing bearded irises for cutting in a plot in the garden. They look good in group and single plantings. They are planted along garden paths, mixborders. Rocky slopes are decorated with irises.

Marsh iris varieties are planted along the banks of artificial and natural reservoirs. Dwarf varieties are planted in ridges, mixborders, in the foreground of alpine slides. Miniature plants are grown in containers. For the garden choose frost-resistant varieties.