Growing bearded iris in a garden flowerbed

Iris is a sophisticated, graceful and amazingly beautiful flower. Translated from the Greek language "iris" means "rainbow" - this is how in ancient times this flower was named for its wide variety (numbering from 700 to 800 plant species), original forms and richness of color.

Description

Iris is a rhizomatous perennial plant. The root system of the flower is located at a shallow depth, and in bearded irises it generally comes out. The height of the stem can be perfect different: 15 cm - the stem of the dwarf iris, 200 cm - the stem of the marsh iris.

The number of branches of the peduncle depends on the type of plant and variety. The flowers themselves are distinguished by their unique delicacy and tenderness.The flower consists of 6 petals: 3 inner petals stretch upward to form a dome, and 3 outer petals are bent downward. Iris petals are arranged so that you can examine each of them in detail. A distinctive feature of the bearded varieties of this plant is the presence of soft, bristly outgrowths on the outer bent petals, which in appearance resemble a beard - hence this group of flowers took its name.

Popular varieties

Bearded iris varieties are usually divided into groups that take into account the height of the peduncle.

There are such groups of garden irises:

• tall bearded;
• miniature tall bearded;
• bearded intermedia;
• curb irises;
• standard dwarfs;
• miniature dwarfs.

The most common varieties of bearded iris are presented with photos and descriptions. Small dwarf irises very low, their length does not exceed the mark of 37 cm. They are used for landscaping the territory, as they are not at all demanding to care and grow very quickly:

• "Amsterdam" - Have flowers of yellow-golden color with brown splashes. Begin to bloom in April and end in May.The grade "Amsterdam" favorably looks in a stony garden or landed along borders.
• "Nain Lives" - the inner petals have a milky yellow color, and the outer ones are painted in a saturated red color with a burgundy palette mixture and have a clear and wide white border. At the base of the outer petals are golden spots and there is a kind of pattern of white rays. They have a very pleasant aroma.

Medium irises reach a length of 70 cm. They are planted along the borders, they also look favorably on inclined surface areas:

• "Batik" - have flowers of purple color with a combination of numerous white veins. The size of the flower in diameter reaches 15 cm. They have a sweet-spicy aroma. The variety is resistant to various weather patterns, diseases and pests.
• "Arctic Age" - snow-white flower with corrugated petals. Perfect for creating a monochrome garden.
• "Oregon Skye" - a flower with azure-blue color, wavy petals and vanilla scent.

High varieties of bearded irises are considered to be plants, the stem length of which varies between 80-120 cm:

• "Burgomaster" - the flower is of medium size, orange-violet colors prevail at the edges of the outer petal, and the center has a dark saturated purple hue. The internal lobes have a yellowish color with a whitish-pink tinge, along the petal are streaks of lilac color. The length of an adult plant is 80 cm. This variety feels good on the southern and south-western slopes.
• "Beverly Hills" - a very popular perennial variety. The flower is medium in size, bright coral-pink in color, has a lace, as if corrugated beard with a reddish color. Peduncle grows in length to 1 m, the leaves are narrow, have a rich green color. The plant feels good in sunny, windless areas, as an example - the southern slope.
• "Arkady Raikin" - the flower is a pinkish-red color with an orange edging, it looks impressive and has a strong spicy aroma. The flowering period is medium.
• "Guards" - The plant has a large bright yellow inflorescence up to 15 cm in diameter. It has a pronounced aroma.

Place to grow

By choosing a place for planting irises must be approached responsibly. Bearded iris needs moisture-permeable or stony soil with neutral acidity.The flower grows very well on an inclined plane and loves the sun - because it depends on the number of bookmarks of flower buds for the coming year.

Location and lighting

For the cultivation of irises, you need to find a sunny place, not blown by winds and drafts. Most flowers can tolerate light penumbra from the trees, but they should not be planted in the shade of the trees, as in this case you can not wait for the release of peduncles.

Soil type

For planting, it is necessary to choose a plot with nutrient loamy soil having neutral or slightly acid acidity of the soil. The site should be with good drainage, as the irises can not stand the excess moisture.

Preparing the soil, take care of making it rotted organic fertilizer. To facilitate the soil to humus it would be good to add sand and wood ash.

The rules of planting bearded irises

To obtain a quality flower of bearded iris, which will delight with its beauty, timely planting and proper care of the plant in the open field are necessary.

The best time for planting and transplanting a flower is considered to be the time after flowering, then the plant will form new roots. If you look closely at the rhizome, then below the base of the leaves you can see the tubercles of light green color - these are the beginnings of the roots.

When they grow up, they will be very fragile and brittle. Therefore, irises are planted either immediately after flowering, or in the fall, when the roots become fibrous and hard.

Asking how to plant a bearded iris, many gardeners adhere to the same answer. When planting an iris, it is necessary to make a slight depression with a small mound.

Place a flower on this mound, spread the roots well, and compact them, cover them with earth. Delenki plants should not be greatly deepened, as the root should be well heated by the sun.

The prepared material of bearded iris, when planted in the ground in spring, must be treated with growth stimulants. If the rhizome is very long, it is necessary to cut it a little, remove the rotted places and keep in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 20 minutes.

How to care for flowers

In order for the iris to please its flowering for a long time, it is necessary to produce a number of works.

Soil care

Bearded iris in spring requires special care. It does not imply hard labor, you just have to be extremely careful when loosening the soil. The roots of the flower are close to the ground, and care must be taken not to damage them.

Watering

The accumulation of water and nutrients in irises occurs in the root system. Therefore, they need watering only during dry summer and during the flowering period in order to prolong it.

Pruning leaves and withered shoots

In August, the leaves begin to slowly die off, this may serve as a signal that it is necessary to make a sanitary pruning of the plant. To do this, completely remove all dried leaves, shorten the rest by half or one third.

In such an uncomplicated way, you can save the plant from all sorts of diseases, whose carriers are old leaves and flowering peduncles.

Separately about feeding

In the spring

The plant needs feeding in the spring.You can make potash fertilizer in the form of a solution under the root of the iris. This top dressing will help the development of leaves and increase the size of the flowers.

Summer

In summer, when the flower stalks have bloomed, you can feed the plant with phosphate fertilizers - they will stimulate the growth and formation of inflorescences next year.

In the autumn

In the autumn season, the flower needs an accumulation of soluble carbohydrates, and their source is phosphate and potash fertilizers.

Preparing flowers for the winter

If severe winters are common in your area, then a bearded iris needs to be properly prepared for winter. For this rhizome you need to cover with a pillow of fallen leaves, coniferous branches or sawdust.

Possible diseases and pests

Prevention is the main enemy of all kinds of diseases and pests. With timely cleaning of the site and removal of weeds, the plant is less susceptible to various diseases. The most frequent diseases in iris are:

• soft root rot;
• bacteriosis.

To remove pathogenic bacteria will help a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If you put the plant root for 30 minutes in this solution, the bacteria will die. The roots spread in the sun and dried for 8 hours, turning the rhizomes.

If a leaf plate is damaged, it is necessary to spray a flower 2 or 3 times with Bordeaux mixture.