Bearded German irises

The leaves of the bearded irises are erect, fan-shaped. Iris blooms only when there are at least 7 leaves in the fan. So, if in the spring there are fewer in the fan, flowering is not expected, but it is urgent to find out what's wrong. The flowers are large, usually 3 of its "petals"( correctly: the perianth part) are raised upward, and 3 are bent downwards. Often the top one or more colors, and the lower ones - of a different color. The flower has an exceptionally noble shape. She and his decorative, varied coloring, delicate, exquisite aroma made iris one of the most desired plants in the garden. Bearded this iris is called for "beards" from yellow to orange color of multicellular hairs, located on the outer parts of the perianth( outer, lower, petals).Flowers have a strong flower stem, sometimes divided into two, like a candelabra. On peduncle only 2-3, very rarely 5 flowers, each of which blossoms only 3-5 days, and the next, as a rule, is revealed after the beginning of wilting of the previous one, so that the irises do not bloom for long. The rhizome

of the bearded iris consists of one-year, clearly visible thickenings-links. He has whims. To the iris to bloom( even with 7 fan leaves), it is necessary that the "back" of the rhizome is bared, and not buried in the soil. But, when it comes to winter, this very back should be covered, otherwise it will freeze. If sheltered too early, the rhizome can crawl out on its own, but can not cover itself independently( that is, crawl back into the soil).Naturally, the freezing of the rhizome will lead to the death of the plant. Here it is necessary to nurse with irises as with small children.

There is one more subtlety. The roots of the bearded irises grow forward( in front of the fan), so the iris crawls away from the landing site all the time. Yes, and feeding should be given, just before evening, because the growing rhizome serves exclusively for the purpose of vegetative reproduction.

In early spring or in August, one or more links are separated from the rhizome and planted separately.2-3 sheets quickly appear, and under favorable conditions for the next year, iris will already begin to bloom. Bearded irises - plants are thermophilic, since they came to us from warmer places, and therefore they freeze or completely freeze in winter, and therefore they should be sheltered during the winter. At the end of the season, the leaves are cut "fan", leaving 15 cm, peat, and with the establishment of cold weather, dry cover is made over each plant. You can make it from a piece of roofing felt, folded and fixed. So that the roofing material does not take away the wind, its foundation is buried in the soil. But you can do with a simple holey box. It is put over the iris and covered with a piece of roofing felt or film, on which a stone or brick is put;again, so that the wind does not take away. The main thing is that between the ruberoid and the ground there is a gap for airing, otherwise the plant will die from obstruction in the winter thaw. When stable cold weather is established, lapnics are thrown from above to the ground. In the spring, first remove the lapnik, then the roofing paper and the box and only then gradually the iris is broken off. This can not be done too quickly, so that during the spring frost the root of the rhizome does not freeze, but you can not tighten too, since the iris will not bloom.

There are practically no pests among the bearded irises, except for the ants, who can fend for themselves a place for oviposition near the rhizome.

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Oviposition of ants must be ruthlessly destroyed in a flower garden, and not only near irises. They eat holes in the rhizomes of plants, they make holes in the oviposition and gradually destroy the plant by extracting formic acid, which corrodes the wound on the rhizome. If you see oviposition or fussing in one place ants( in this case, shovel 2-3 cm of soil, you will find this oviposition), quickly take one of the drugs against ants( Muravin, Phenoxin, both preparations of the smallest class of danger -fourth) and pollinate the pupae( egg) and the ants themselves. Use powder in a very small dose. For humans and animals, as well as for beneficial insects, both remedies are moth toxic.

If the pests of irises are small, then disease is quite enough.

Bacteriosis is the most terrible disease of irises in our region, which causes rot of the rhizome. The diseased plants cease to bloom, the leaf fan is low, containing 3-4 leaves. In August, dig out the plants, separate the rotted parts of the rhizome, etch the half-hour in the potassium permanganate magenta. Then change the soil, adding more sand to the new soil mix( or change the landing site), and drop the iris again.

Wet rot damages the rhizomes and bases of the stems. In plants, the leaves become brown and dry, beginning with the tips, the plants lag behind in growth. Rot is spreading inside the rhizome, which becomes powdery, while the outer shell of the roots remains. The disease can affect the tulip, hyacinth, gladiolus and cloves. Bacteria - the causative agent of wet rot - is most often introduced into the soil with manure. Sick plants should be immediately destroyed and not put irises on this place for 5 years. Preventive measures: before planting rhizomes etch it in potassium permanganate for 30 minutes( 0.5 hours spoonfuls per 0.5 liters of water), or in a solution of "Phytosporin"( 2-3 tablespoons solution per 10 liters of water), or in solution"Maxim".

Gray rot damages both rhizome and leaves. Affected parts of the rhizome get sick with dry rot, and on the leaves a gray coating forms, causing their decay. The disease provokes increased humidity of soil and air, and also an excess of nitrogen in the soil.

Heterosporiasis affects the leaves, which in the second half of summer appear gray spots with a watery yellowish border, causing the leaves to dry out usually in the second half of summer. Helps spraying with "Zircon" or any copper-containing preparation( the easiest way is chlorokyxio copper).Affected leaves, of course, should be removed and burned.

Rust affects leaves, on which brown-brown stripes appear. You can sprinkle with colloidal sulfur or medesoderzhaschim drug, give top dressing with phosphorus and potassium. Only usually weakened plants are affected.

Mosaic leaves( yellow-green color), usually caused by a virus, and therefore diseased plants are subject to immediate destruction( they can not be put in compost).

Against all troubles simple prevention helps very well. In the spring, after brewing, at the very beginning of the regrowth of leaves, irises( simultaneously with roses, peonies, phlox and perennial asters), it is necessary to water well with a 1% solution of a copper preparation( Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate, copper oxychloride), 1 hour is enough for this.spoons for 0.5 liters of water. On the soil under the plants to make ash( 0.5 cups for each).Prior to the beginning of flowering, regularly( once in 2 weeks) spray the planting of all flowers, not only irises, or "Zircon" together with "Epin-exstra", or "Healthy Garden" in conjunction with "Ekoberyn."When planting and transplanting, all slices must be covered with ashes. Before wintering irises should be fed with ashes and sprayed with medesoderzhaschim drug. Germanic irises are calcium lovers, so the soil for them should be a neutral reaction, even slightly alkalized( this is facilitated by the regular application of ash in spring and autumn).

Irisam is categorically contraindicated in manure, peat should not be applied to them. Nitrogen top dressing should be given very moderately, preferably in the form of potassium humates( or sodium), or add good organic matter to the soil. Then you can do without nitrogen fertilizing. The soil must be light - with a high content of sand, the place - sunny. Plant, transplant, share bearded irises best in early August, then they easily take root. When planting irises, rush is undesirable. We must first prepare not only a place for planting, but also the little ones themselves. If the place is not ready, then the purchased items can be wrapped in a newspaper and held on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the cellar before planting. Then the delenki should be held in raspberry-colored manganese for 20-30 minutes, rinsed with water and sprinkled with crushed charcoal or ash, slightly dried for 2-3 hours. But now you can and put.

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Irises have one feature. They have in stock another flower bud - their own understudy in each flower. If the flower perishes, then its place will immediately take a stand-in.

Irises are beautiful everywhere - by water bodies, on a dry sandy shore, on rocky slides, a separate group on the lawn. But there's no point in planting them in flower beds among other flowers. Especially love the irises grow among the stones. Here, and arrange for them their own place in the garden, if you already decided to have them. A short time of flowering( about two weeks), you must admire them and only them. Others at this time have nothing to do with it.

In ornamental gardening more than others, the following types are common:

iris Alberta - up to 60 cm high, carries 3-5 violet, less white, flower, odorless, blooms in May-June, fairly winter-hardy and resistant to diseases;

and iris Unshaven - 50 cm tall, with 3-4 flowers of bright purple color, with a weak odor( leaves appear in spring later than peduncles, hence its name);

iris Dwarfish - a baby 10 cm high with yellow or bright violet flowers, odorless, wintery, unpretentious, resistant to diseases( suitable for curbs and rocky hills);

iris Motley - about 50 cm high, two-color( inner petals yellow, outer - red-brown), odorless;

iris Florentine - 70 cm high, its branched shoot carries up to 7 white, with a light blueberry, fragrant flowers, requires shelter for the winter.

Now in the world there are more than 8 thousand varieties! This suggests that irises attract attention, in addition to our desire. What colors do not exist! It's just a fantastic sea of ​​colors, sometimes it's even impossible to define color, as, for example, for the Blend group: they are simply pearl-pearly with all sorts of impossible and impossible overflows.

Every year, we and elsewhere organize exhibitions of irises, especially the famous "Florentine Parade of Irises"( on the arms of this city depicts a red iris).There are lucky people who live in a climate suitable for German iris! But, alas, in the Northwest, the bearded Germans do not live, they only survive, and even then, with a constant help burden.