It is known that all the girls are crazy about flowers. Some like it when a bouquet is given by a loved one. And others themselves grow flowers along their cottage, in a private house or in the country. With each frosty day gone inexorably approaching spring. And you should choose in advance what colors this year we will decorate a flower bed. Some of the most beautiful and unpretentious flowers are irises. Therefore, we grow irises on the plot of land.
Information about the irises.
Irises - one of the oldest garden crops. In ancient Egypt they were cultivated in the gardens of Cleopatra. In the ancient Greek language the word "iris" means "rainbow". The embodiment of the rainbow in mythology was the goddess Iris, the messenger of the gods, the interpreter of their will.
Among the variety of varieties of garden irises are the most famous among the florists, these are iridescent beards. They are divided into three main groups. These are undersized: the flower stem reaches a height of 25 to 36 centimeters. Sredstar: 37-70 centimeters. And the tall ones are longer than 70 centimeters. When growing irises on the plot, remember that the period of their flowering depends on the variety and growth conditions. It can last from two weeks to one month.
Irises have one advantage: in the bouquet, all the buds that are located on the peduncle are blossomed from the cut irises. The size of each flower is 10-15 or more centimeters in diameter. By the grace of the form, iris flowers can compete even with orchid flowers. The color of the perianth is distinguished by a wide variety of amazing colors. The upper parts of the perianth, in addition, can boast a silky iridescent luster. And the lower petals show a velvet structure. Many varieties exude a strong pleasant aroma.
Choose the place of planting irises.
When planting irises, the choice of location is important. These flowers are especially in need of sunny heat in the morning. This must be remembered. To enjoy abundant flowering, do not plant them close to large plants. Shrubs and trees will take away their moisture. It is advisable to take away the irrigated areas, well-lit, from which the snow does not blow away in the winter. A slight deviation in the south or south-west direction is welcome. Well-drained soils of light composition are preferred. The acidity of the soil should be closer to neutral. To improve the mechanical composition of loamy soils, shortly before the autumn digging, compost or peat is introduced into them. The calculation is as follows: 1-2 buckets of compost per square meter plus a bucket of river sand. In sandy soils it is better to add organic substances and a small amount of clay.
Pre-plant soil preparation is carried out two or three weeks before planting. The optimal time for planting is August or the beginning of September. If water is stagnant in the areas in spring and summer, irises should be planted on high beds. Otherwise, plants are threatened with death.
We plant irises.
When planting irises, their roots should be freely distributed in the soil. Rhizomes at the same time should be located in a horizontal plane and covered with soil no more than 2-3 cm. Highly buried plants may not form vegetative shoots. That is, the lateral buds develop poorly and may not even bloom. Irises fall behind in growth for a whole period of vegetation.
When properly planted, the distance between the irises in the row should be 30-35 centimeters. In the first year, to protect against frost, weakly rooted irises should be covered with weathered peat. Peat layer - not less than 3-5 centimeters.
Propagated varietal irises by dividing bushes. The plant intended for division is better for excavating with garden forks. The rhizome should be shaken off from the earth lumps and cut so that every year growth has a bunch of leaves. To reduce the evaporation of moisture, the leaves are shortened by two-thirds of the length, and the roots by one-third. Old parts of the rhizome, which do not have a good root system and leaves, should not be thrown away. Sleeping buds, which are on them, after planting can start to grow and give a lot of additional planting material. They should be processed together with the remaining shoots. Inspect damaged parts. All cuts must be made with a sharp knife so that the cut surface is smooth. For disinfection, freshly cut slices for 10-15 minutes are placed in a dark solution of potassium permanganate. Then it is dried and buried before sowing.
Care for the irises.
Care for the irises begin as soon as the flower beds are free of snow. First, a shelter is removed, if any. The remains of garbage are carefully collected and burned. Immediately begin to feed on mineral fertilizers. The calculation is as follows: 20 g of nitrogen and 15 g of phosphorus fertilizers. During flowering, another 5 g of nitrogen fertilizer should be added. 10 g of potassium and 10 g of phosphorus fertilizers - after flowering.
For plants, loose soil without weeds is required. Therefore, the soil is loosened every 10-12 days. Watering irises is especially necessary during the emergence of buds, intensive growth, and during flowering.
To protect against pests and diseases, attention should be paid, first of all, to prevention. These include the timely removal of plant debris, control of weeds. This is especially true in the early spring (when the snow melted). And in the autumn, before the plant goes into hibernation. In the summer, if there are "spots" on the leaves, two or three sprayings are carried out with a Bordeaux mixture. A suspension of colloidal sulfur also helps. When the rhizomes are affected by bacteriosis, they should be dried, the damaged tissue removed and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate of a dark red color.
Be sure to disinfect tools before cutting flowers, when dividing rhizomes and cutting leaves. Regular weeding contributes to the fight against aphids and thrips. From the leaf patch it is necessary to sprinkle irises in the early spring with 0.4% zineb, 0.1% chlorophos.
Growing irises on the plot of land you will decorate your house with bright colors, which are so lacking. These flowers like no other are suitable for rearing on the backyard. And to make the irises feel good and enjoy you for many years, use these tips.