Irises are perennial flowers that are very beloved by gardeners for their unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation.
Plants tolerate winter well, and planting irises in open ground is not a hassle. But the cultivation features are worth knowing.
Dates of planting irises in open ground
It is impossible to imagine the magnificent bloom of irises without a regular transplant. If a plant has been grown on the plot for more than 4 years, then the bush should be thinned out. Experienced gardeners advise replanting irises to a new place in the fall, while the weather is warm or in early spring. Each method has its own characteristics.
Spring planting irises
The entire procedure must be carried out correctly so that there are no problems with breeding.
1. Surviving winter tubers sorted out, remove rotten and spoiled. Planting stock is soaked in a potassium permanganate solution for 20 minutes.
2. The iris tubers purchased in a store or at an exhibition are treated with a growth stimulant.
3. Planting irises is carried out on a sand cushion so that the roots do not suffer from excess moisture in the soil.
4. For full bloom, the plant needs a surface planting, so the roots cover half. Deep landing leads to the fact that irises do not bloom.
5. Moisture-loving varieties of irises: marsh and Japanese are planted a little deeper.
6. The distance between tall varieties must be observed at a level of 50 cm. Dwarf irises are planted 15 cm from each other.
Photo of planting irises in the open ground
These simple rules allow you to grow beautiful flowers in a summer cottage without errors. Irises planted in spring bloom the following year. If the plant releases a flower arrow in the current year, then it must be removed so as not to weaken the flower.
Autumn planting irises
After flowering has already been completed, and the arrows have died, you can proceed to transplant irises. The optimal period is the first half of autumn, when the weather is warm, and before the frost for a long time. The later the iris roots are planted in the ground, the longer and worse they will take root.
The principle of planting irises in open ground in autumn is no different from the spring procedure. The sprouted roots are dug up, sorted out, divided into plots and planted in a new place.
If the winter is expected to be frosty, then after the autumn planting, the rhizomes need to be additionally covered with peat, dry foliage or sand. In spring, the plants are freed from mulch. Irises planted in autumn will please bloom in spring.
How to choose a site for planting irises in open ground
For regular flowering and successful breeding of irises, it is important to consider not only the timing of planting, but also to choose the right place.
It is better to plant irises in an elevated place where the morning sun will warm their roots. Wet areas in the lowlands are completely unsuitable for growing irises. In addition, the site must be protected from wind and draft. Moisture-loving varieties of irises, on the contrary, are planted in marshy areas or near water bodies.
The soil before planting irises must be carefully prepared. Plants prefer nutritious and loose sandy soil. Heavy soil is dug, adding sand and peat. The poor in composition of the earth is enriched with mineral fertilizers with phosphorus and potassium. In the spring make rotted compost and humus. Manure for growing irises is not used.
In uncultivated areas, the land is pre-treated with fungicides and herbicides in order to prevent diseases and suppress weed growth.
Reproduction of irises when planting in the open ground
The fastest and most reliable way to breed irises is by dividing the bush during transplantation. Such plants bloom as early as next spring.
In order for the reproduction to be successful, they select a well-grown healthy bush of iris, dig it up and start dividing.
1. Rhizomes are cleaned of the earth and separated with a sharp sterile knife or hands.
2. Each individual plot should have a leaf bud and one or two tubers. Old roots are pruned, and damaged tubers are thrown away.
3. The leaves of irises are cut to a height of 5-10 cm, while all that is dry and damaged is removed.
4. Prepared rhizomes are disinfected in a potassium permanganate solution and dried in a well-ventilated place.
Tubers are planted in a new place in the fall in the usual way. The bed is well watered.
If time for breeding was missed, the weather is cool, then you can not plant irises in open ground. Sprouts do not have time to take root and die in the winter. In this case, the planting of rhizomes is carried out in boxes that are stored at a temperature of 7-8 C throughout the winter. In spring, irises are planted in the garden.
How to care for irises in open ground
Irises care includes standard procedures: weed removal, watering and top dressing. Weeds must be cleaned regularly, but manually, so as not to injure the rhizomes.
In addition, young plantings of irises are covered before the upcoming winter, and in spring they remove the shelter. Adult bushes do not need shelter.
Irises are fed from early spring to the second half of summer. The first top dressing is carried out on moist soil with granular fertilizer, which is carefully planted in the soil, being careful not to damage the roots. Adult iris plots are preferably fed with the following compounds:
1. Nitrogen fertilizer + phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 2: 1: 1 at the very beginning of the growing season.
2. Mineral fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 3: 1: 3 during budding.
3. Feeding of phosphorus and potassium in equal parts after flowering.
If there are not enough nutrients, then irises do not grow well, their flowering is poor. There is no need to feed a perennial in the first year after planting, if the holes were filled according to all the rules. Starting from the second year of cultivation, the plants are fertilized according to the above scheme. This has a positive effect on their growth, development and flowering.
Watering irises is carried out only on especially dry days, in rainy summers there is enough natural precipitation.
Problems in growing irises in open ground
With the advent of spring, irises are susceptible to attack by pests. Every two weeks, preventive spraying is necessary. During the budding period, processing is temporarily suspended. For spraying, complex preparations of a wide spectrum of action are used.
Since the most common disease of irises is bacteriosisthen rhizomes are regularly inspected for rot. The damaged parts are dug up, and the landing site is disinfected with potassium permanganate.
To prevent infection of irises with various diseases, every autumn it is necessary to prune all foliage and dry flower stalks, in which pests accumulate. In addition, at least once a season, spraying with copper sulfate or another copper-containing preparation should be carried out.
Another common problem when growing is lack of flowers. This indicates improper agricultural practices and insufficient plant care. Carefully inspect the place where the irises are planted, it may not comply with the rules. If the soil is poor, then the plants need to be fed.
As you can see, planting and growing irises in open ground does not cause much trouble. It is enough to follow all the recommendations and devote a little more time to the plant.
