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Planting irises has become very popular among florists since the full benefits of this rainbow flower and its rich color range were revealed. A perennial is able to decorate the garden for a long time, without giving the owner significant trouble with care. They decorate not only flower beds, but also the adjacent territory, entrances to the entrances. If anyone has a summer cottage, then they will certainly settle rainbow flowers. Flowers are planted not only in spring, but also in autumn. At the same time, the places for planting cockerels should be well lit, without stagnation of excess moisture.
General information
Before you plant irises on your site, you need to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of their cultivation and care. The flowers are perennial plants belonging to the rhizome genus. To date, more than 700 species of this rainbow flower are presented to the attention of florists, impressive not only by the shape and size of the buds, but also by the variety of colors. Moreover, the color can be not only monochromatic. One flower is colored in several tones, and also has unusual patterns on the lower petals.
There are many different types of irises
Irises delight with their flowering from mid-May to early July, certain varieties also capture August. Some of them, with proper care, bloom a second time, around late August or early September. The distribution area of this culture is very wide, certain varieties can be seen even in the harsh northern climate. Already known not only the rhizome type of irises, but also the bulbous. It is almost impossible to distinguish them by their appearance.
The best time to plant
When is it recommended to plant irises outdoors? The very end of summer is considered the optimal time for planting bearded varieties in open ground. Practicing gardeners claim that it is possible to plant plants both during flowering and after its completion.
Xyphyum, or bulbous irises, are transplanted at the very beginning of autumn, when the plant finishes blooming and prepares for dormancy. You can plant flowers in spring, but for this the soil must warm up well, and if the roots will not be threatened with hypothermia. As a rule, this time comes in April or May (Moscow region, Moscow region and region).
Planting irises in autumn is not excluded. When and how to plant them to see the first bloom faster? The advantage of planting in the fall is that they will bloom next spring. But in the northern regions at this time, flowers are no longer planted, since a quick and rapid cooling will not allow them to take root properly. Here, only spring and summer are reserved for planting.
Preparation for planting seeds and locations
Iris seeds
Sometimes iris seeds are used for planting. Not everyone knows how they look, and experienced florists do not recommend using this method. Firstly, it will take a long time to wait for flowering, and secondly, the properties of the mother flower may not be transferred to the daughter plant, and the owner will be disappointed.This method of growing planting material is used mainly by breeders.
A detailed instruction on planting and breeding rainbow flowers contains a lot of recommendations. Before you start decorating a flower garden, you need to understand what kind of soil irises like, and in what place it is better to place them so that the flowering is violent and colorful. It directly depends on the selected variety. Bulbous varieties prefer flower beds in an open, sunny location. It should be protected from drafts and moderately warm, but intense heat is also undesirable for flowers.
Rhizome species of irises love the sun, but they may well delight with flowering in partial shade. For normal growth and development, their root system needs at least half a meter of free space. All varieties and types of this plant prefer nutrient-rich, oily and loose soil. Before planting irises, the flower bed is filled with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and compost.
As for the moisture content of the land on the site, then for each variety, the choice should be individual. Bearded species should be planted on slopes where there is a good outflow of melt and rain moisture. Siberian and marsh varieties allow cultivation in places where there is always high humidity: in the partial shade of trees or near water bodies.
Before planting irises on a flower bed, it should be dug onto a shovel bayonet, treated with herbicides that prevent the appearance of weeds, and fungicides that protect against fungal infections. The soil for rhizome irises should be neutral in terms of acidity. If this figure is too high, then you need to add chalk or ash.
How to plant irises correctly
Correct planting of iris bulbs
How to plant irises to get the best decorative qualities from them? When planting roots, the upper bud should not be deeply deepened, it should protrude slightly under the soil level. The distance between two adjacent plants is left from 20 cm to half a meter, depending on the selected variety. Bulbous flowers require less space, rhizome flowers (especially bearded ones) need more space.
Planting bulbous varieties of irises has its own characteristics. The work is carried out in early spring or autumn, but it is necessary to manage before the onset of the first frost. To prevent the bulb from freezing, the soil temperature must be at least + 11 ° C. A small trench should be dug into which irises are planted to a depth of 3.5 cm. In general, the planting depth should not exceed 12 cm. The removed soil is mixed with fat garden soil, crushed coal, a small amount of river sand and double superphosphate. The dug trenches are disinfected by sprinkling with a solution of potassium permanganate and a growth stimulator. The bulbs are placed at a distance of 20 cm from each other, not too deep. After that, the trench is filled up, the soil is lightly tamped.
Planting scheme of root irises
Planting rhizome irises is as follows. For the root, a small hole is dug, a small mound of earth is poured in its center. The central root is laid on it, the lateral processes are distributed evenly along the edges of the tubercle. The plant is covered with soil, sprinkled on top with a small amount of river sand, after which the soil is tamped.
Experienced gardeners recommend planting work in spring or summer. During the warm season, the flowers have time to take root well, and they are no longer afraid of the winter cold. Next year, they will delight the owner with exuberant flowering.
It is recommended to plant dwarf iris varieties according to the 15x50 scheme, tall ones - 30x50 cm.When a group planting, the distance in a group is left 30 cm, between groups - at least half a meter.
Iris planting forms
When planning the location of plantings of irises in the garden, you need to know and be sure to take into account some features. Tall varieties should be placed in the background of landscape compositions. Irises look great in compositions with conifers, other flowers or fruit shrubs. They are suitable for planting in rock gardens, multi-color or one-color flower beds. Siberian varieties or marsh varieties are able to fill a damp area and even shallow water. Flowers look great against the background of forged elements, wild stones.
Iris planting forms
As a decorative addition, irises are used in mixed flower beds consisting of dwarf varieties of conifers, flowers and shrubs. Landscape designers plant them on lawns in small clusters. Since the plant is not aggressive, it can be planted with poppies, lilies or lupins. Irises and daylilies are the perfect composition. Since the latter have a longer flowering period, the flower bed will not lose its decorative effect for a long time. In addition, the roots of daylilies lie deeper, so they will in no way compete for moisture and nutrients.
In the presence of a reservoir in the personal plot, irises are used to decorate it. You can even not combine them with anything, which will look quite natural. If there is a desire to combine them with other colors, then they must be combined in color. Otherwise, the flower bed will not look harmonious.
When planting several varieties of irises in the same flower bed, varieties with a single color should be combined with variegated ones. Dark shades will look great with lighter shades. Several variegated or multi-colored varieties in one flower bed look ridiculous, because with the simultaneous blooming of the buds, it begins to ripple in the eyes.
The root system of irises is located extremely close to the soil surface, therefore the rest of the plants should be selected in such a way that their roots go deeper. It is also necessary to maintain a certain distance between colors.
Despite their unpretentiousness, irises require timely removal of weeds and loosening of the soil, therefore, planting should not be placed too close to each other. You should also choose flowers in such a way that the flower garden is pleasing to the eye throughout the season. You can even recreate such a miracle with the help of irises. After all, some varieties are able to bloom twice a year, there are also such species, the flowering period for which falls almost in the middle of summer.
Planting irises in the Moscow region and Siberia
For cultivation in the harsh and unfavorable climatic conditions of the Moscow region and Siberia, a choice of hardy, unpretentious and capable of growing rapidly irises is assumed. Most of the bearded varieties are not able to grow in such extreme conditions, only a few of their varieties have adapted to develop and bloom in this climate:
- Ruby Morne;
- Hang glider;
- Just Crazy;
- White moth;
- Wish upon e old.
Iris Ruby-Morne
Siberian irises, well adapted to the continental climate, turned out to be much more unpretentious and hardy. They are distinguished by large and beautiful flowers, as well as a complete lack of aroma. Previously, their color scheme was monotonous and was represented only by violet-blue shades, but now the breeders have corrected this and presented to the attention of gardeners a much larger assortment. The best varieties suitable for regions such as the Moscow region and Siberia are as follows:
- Hubbard;
- Queen's show;
- Teal Velvet;
- Rikugi Sakura.
Of bulbous irises, mesh irises are suitable for this climate, which begin to bloom as soon as the snow melts. They can be used to decorate alpine slides, since such flowers have a small growth and a short growing season.
It is undesirable to choose Japanese varieties of the rainbow flower for cultivation in cold and harsh climates. The exceptions are those that were bred in Russia and adapted to weather conditions. Otherwise, the plant will either not bloom or die from frost in winter. If other varieties of foreign selection are selected for growing on the site, then at least in the first year they must be covered in the fall in order to prevent freezing.
Irises are amazing flowers that amaze the imagination with a variety of colors, flowering duration and unpretentious care. The shape of the inflorescences itself can be varied. It is difficult now to find a summer resident or owner of a private plot who would not grow at least a couple of varieties of this flower. Every year the assortment is replenished with new products of domestic and foreign selection with improved characteristics and beautiful shades. Having spent a little effort, time and money for the purchase, planting and care of the roots, the florist will receive in gratitude the buds of unearthly beauty, pleasing the eye for a long period.
