Iris flowers are yellow, purple, snow-white and all colors of the rainbow - frequent guests not only in the garden plots of amateur gardeners, but also in park beds or simple flower beds near the entrances of houses. They are loved for their long flowering, unpretentious care and bright colors.
Irises got their name due to the variety of colors of buds. The word "iris" in Greek means "rainbow", and it lives up to its name.
Iris varieties
Among the 800 species, which are represented on the planet by 80 thousand varieties, there are snow-white, yellow irises and even deep black, as well as the entire spectrum of the rainbow.
According to legend, the Greek goddess of the rainbow Irida was the mediator between the gods (sky) and people (earth). Once upon a time, the rainbow crumbled into many fragments, turning into beautiful flowers, which were named after her.
Since these flowers can cross independently among themselves, then a strict classificationtheir varieties are not yet available. They are divided into "bearded" species, which also include arils and arilbreds, and "non-bearded". "Bearded" are so named due to the fact that they have a kind of pubescent "beards" on the outside of the perianth.
Bearded irises are divided into groups:
- high, such as high yellow iris;
- medium-sized varieties are divided into small-flowered and medium-sized ones;
- dwarf irises are divided into standard and miniature;
- Aryls and arylbreds are a separate group.
"Not bearded" irises make up the classes of "Siberian", "Japanese", "California", "Louisiana" and other varieties.
Irises are also divided according to planting material. Some are planted by seeds or rhizome, others are bulbous. The latter are more demanding on planting and care and are less common.
Marsh iris
Marsh yellow iris is a frequent guest on the banks of reservoirs. The wild species is characterized by reproduction by seeds, which have protection in the form of a dense peel, which prevents them from "drown" in water. Once in the river, the seeds are carried away by the current for considerable distances, which expands the sowing area.
The same spread is obtained with the help of waterfowl, which carry the seeds to new places in the river, where they germinate perfectly. In the same way, wild yellow iris grew and multiplied in the days of the Ancient World, as evidenced by a Cretan fresco dated to the second millennium BC. e. It depicts a young man surrounded byirises.
Cultivated yellow iris is propagated by rhizome, which is divided into parts, each of which has buds. When choosing planting material, it is the condition of the roots and their age that plays the main role, so it is better for a beginner grower to use the services of a company store or a garden nursery, and not buy hand-made delenki.
Very often yellow iris (photo evidence of this) is used to refine borders and fences.
Choosing a place to plant irises
Marsh irises take root well in places where there is high humidity. If there are flooded areas on the site, then they are best suited for this variety of flowers. They calmly perceive both the shady side and the sunny side.
The main thing to do is to protect them from drafts and water them regularly during dry summers. If there is a reservoir on the plot, then yellow irises (varieties of both "bearded" and marsh) are preferable to plant around it.
"Bearded" irises fade in the sun, and their flowering period is significantly reduced. The ideal place for them would be either partial shade, or part of the day in the sun, and part in the shade. A permanent shadow is contraindicated for them, since they will not give color, and only leaves will grow.
Soil preparation
The huge variety of iris varieties requires a certain approach in preparing the soil before planting. Since these flowers can "live" in the same place for 10 or more years without harm to themselves, the soil should be prepared in advance.
For example, bearded yellow irises "love" loose loamy or sandy soil. It is important that it be either slightly acidic or neutral. The structure of the earth can be changed by adding sand, peat or ash to it.
Iris categorically “does not recognize” acidic soil, so it should be treated with lime before planting. In the event that the summer is most often rainy, it is necessary to put drainage in each hole. No matter how unpretentious the irises are, all of them, except for the marsh species, have a common common problem - root rot. Drainage will keep them out of it.
Selecting planting material
Another important point for getting a beautiful "iris" flower garden is a good planting material. Large, beautiful, but the old root should not be bought, as it will not sprout. Such a flower bed will not “live” for a long time.
The best planting material is considered to be one-year-old delenki with a rhizome up to 10 cm, with a bud and a "fan" of leaves. Such a seedling will give the first, albeit still a weak color, the very next year. The real period of growing up comes in the third year of growth.
If the division of this year is without a "heel", then it will give the first color only in summer. In the future, as the irises grow, planting material can be taken directly from your flower bed.
Separation of planting material from the mother root
The time and method of planting irises also depends on the variety of flowers. For example, the iris is yellow. Planting and caring for bulbous species occurs according to one technology, and for those thatpropagate by rhizomes, according to a completely different one.
After the irises fade, they begin to ripen a bud, which will become a flower next year. The best time to reproduce this plant is the period when the bud has not yet started, and new shoots have grown at the rhizome.
The new annual element with the rudiments of roots is carefully separated from the main root, without digging up the plant itself, and transplanted to a new place. Intensive growth of new roots begins in a week, and by the time the flower bud reaches the ovary stage, the plant is already fully rooted.
It is important to remember that the leaves of a young delenka should be shortened by 1/3 of the length before planting.
This transplant is done in the summer. If you carry out the same procedure in the fall, then you should wait until the flower bud has formed up to 6 cm in length, and the roots have grown enough.
Autumn transplant will give a new color next spring, provided that the time is right. In this case, the possibility of early frosts should be taken into account, so the moment of bud formation and plant readiness for reproduction should coincide with still fairly warm weather.
Planting yellow irises with rhizome
Yellow irises require certain rules to be observed during planting:
- the distance between plants depends on their growth, if it reaches up to 80 cm in an adult iris, then there should be 40 cm between seedlings;
- for dwarf varieties that grow to a height of only 40 cm,the gap is 15-20cm;
- the depth of the hole is determined by the type of plant - in the "bearded" varieties, only roots are buried in the soil, and the rhizome itself remains at soil level;
- for “beardless” varieties, a mound is made in the planting hole, on which the rhizome is placed and sprinkled with earth, the hole itself is only a few centimeters deep;
- yellow iris leaves should “stand” vertically, and the ground around the division should be lightly tamped;
- immediately after planting, the plant is watered, and re-watering is done in 5 days.
It is important to remember that if the days are hot, then young sprouts should be shaded by pulling cloth over pegs or sticking branches around them.
Planting bulbous yellow irises
Yellow bulbous iris is a fairly unpretentious plant, it can often be found in the yards of multi-storey buildings and in city parks. Its main requirement is the absence of low temperatures in winter.
Iris bulbs have a scaly structure. They quickly react to the manifestation of the first heat and together emerge from the ground as soon as the snow begins to melt. Popularly, this species is called iris snowdrops.
Yellow bulbous iris (photo confirms this) usually grows up to 60 cm, loves moist soil and partial shade. In colder climates, it needs shelter for the winter, as the optimal temperature for the "survival" of the bulbs is -6 degrees.
If the climate is mild enough, then the depth of the planting holes shouldbe 10 cm, and in colder regions - 15 cm. In the event that the yellow irises are broad-leaved, then no more than 12-15 bulbs are planted per 1 m2. For narrow-leaved varieties, dense planting is acceptable.
The best time to plant iris bulbs is the last decade of October. It is not recommended to plant earlier, as new shoots may appear just before the start of frost, which will destroy them.
If it was not possible to plant the bulbs on time, it is better to put them in storage in the cellar or in the refrigerator. In the spring, the saved planting material can be planted in pots, and at the end of October it can be safely transplanted into open ground.
Bulbous varieties of irises require periodic loosening of the earth and timely watering. Under no circumstances should they be flooded with water. This is fraught with decay of the plant.
Caring for irises
Irises are quite "flexible" plants, but since they are perennial, some work in the flower bed should be done regularly:
- watering is carried out as needed, especially if the summer is dry;
- loosening the soil (very carefully) after each rain;
- weeding by hand;
- faded flowers should be cut to the very base;
- young rhizomes, as well as hybrid and bulbous varieties, are recommended to be “covered” for the winter with foliage or spruce branches;
- after 3-4 years, irises need to be planted, otherwise their massive soil cover depletes it, and gradually they degenerate.
When dealing with root yellow irises, remember that theygrow on the surface of the soil, so loosening with a chopper should be carried out as carefully as possible. The same applies to weeding, which is preferably done by hand.
After the thaw, the foliage or spruce branches are carefully removed, and the soil is loosened. Root cover only applies to young seedlings and bulbous varieties.
Feeding irises
The first fertilization is done immediately after the soil thaws and dries. Mineral fertilizers are applied simultaneously with loosening, trying to lay them to a depth of 4-5 cm into the soil. This should be done very carefully.
The second feeding is carried out during the formation of new shoots with the laying of flower buds. Fertilized at this time, new rhizomes will give abundant flowering next spring.
If the soil is slightly or medium loamy, then three times "feeding" with nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is necessarily carried out at the rate of 10-12 g per 1 m22. For sandy soil, the dosage increases to 16-18 g per 1 m2.
When using nitrogen, the main thing is not to "overfeed", so it's better to underdo it a little than overdo it. When there is a lot of nitrogen, then yellow iris leaves grow, and there will either be no flowers at all, or they will be small and frail.
If you cover flowers for the winter with peat, then you can solve two issues at once - warming and fertilizing the soil. In the spring, you need to carefully loosen the soil around the roots after it is completely dry.
Diseases and pests
To avoid the appearance of pests, after the leaves reach 10 cm, you should spray the irises once every two weeksspecial pesticides sold in specialized flower shops. After flowering begins, spraying stops.
You should also regularly check the rhizomes for rot. If one appears, then you need to carefully cut off the damaged area and burn it. Last year's leaves and withered flowers should be burned to prevent disease.
Rare varieties
Rare, that is, less common, varieties include "Siberian" and "Japanese". The Japanese variety of these flowers is also called sword-shaped, as they have wide, sword-like leaves. These plants are very fond of water, so the preferred place for planting them is ponds. They also prefer well-lit areas without direct sunlight.
Siberian irises are well planted in regions with a colder climate in well-fertilized soil.
Whatever the variety, it should be remembered that the yellow iris is listed in the Red Book, so its cultivation contributes to the spread and survival of this species.
