Siberian irises. Siberian iris: the secrets of successful cultivation How to care for varietal Siberian irises

Siberian iris is absolutely unpretentious, winter-hardy and resistant to various diseases. All these he fully passed on to his offspring. This was appreciated by practical Americans and immediately launched breeding activities for this species. As a result of the work done, a whole galaxy of beautiful varieties of this plant was obtained.

general description

Currently, flower growers all over the world are infatuated with a new variety of irises. Siberian irises, which can be grown in our conditions, are of great interest to amateurs today.

it perennial with a fairly strong root system. It is a misconception that the Siberian iris belongs to bulbous crops. The leaves of these flowers are thin, xiphoid, flat, with a wax coating, usually collected in a bunch in the form of a fan. Roots - fibrous and filiform, have the ability to improve the structural

Siberian iris blooms, depending on the variety, up to five days, from May to June. It has a large peduncle, which usually consists of six petals and is distinguished by its elegant shape and rich range of various shades. The outer and inner parts of the flower differ in size, color and shape. The fruits of the iris are long trihedral boxes, the seeds are quite large and ribbed, Brown color. Their number in one seed box is from 25 to 45 pieces.

Common varieties of irises

bearded iris

This variety got its name due to the presence of outer petals, decorated at the base with stripes of hairs of a contrasting color, which clearly stand out against the background of the flower itself. bearded irises can be tall, short and medium. The color of their flowers can be blue or purple with the original edging.

Russian iris

This iris grows in low, fairly dense bushes. The flowers of this species are fragrant, medium in size, usually have a lilac or purple color. The advantage of these flowers is that they are suitable for stony soils.

Siberian iris

The height of representatives of this variety is about 1 meter. Siberian iris is quite hardy to temperature extremes. Its leaves are narrow and green, persist until the first frost. The flowers of this iris are predominantly purple or of blue color. All varieties bred on the basis of Siberian iris are united in the section of beardless irises Limniris.

swamp iris

Iris marsh can reach a height of up to one meter. Flowers - yellow color with brownish streaks. The flowering period of this variety is from May to June. He is quite thermophilic, prefers the sunny side or partial shade. This type iris grows fast enough. It is mainly used for decorating reservoirs up to 40 cm deep. It tolerates water salinity well.

dwarf iris

This variety was imported from maximum height reaches 10 cm. When growing, it forms medium-sized bushes. It blooms in May with small flowers that have a variety of colors.

Japanese iris

The flower can be small, medium, large or very large. The shape of the iris can be simple, double or terry. The height of this iris varies, it can be both very short and quite high. According to the flowering time, depending on the variety, early and very late species can be distinguished. The flowers are purplish or purple in color. This variety is not hardy.

Growing conditions

Siberian iris prefers to grow on fertile soils. It does not tolerate excess moisture and strong shading. Nitrogen in large doses causes various diseases in this variety. Loamy soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction is suitable for intensive growth.

Application

Since irises are very diverse and decorative, they are used quite widely. These flowers are planted along the coast artificial reservoirs, planted on and also created from them miniature gardens.

Highly beautiful combination obtained from irises with poppies, lupins, phlox, peonies and saxifrage. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the fact that irises are not very competitive, therefore, rapidly growing perennials can easily suppress them.

Siberian irises are perennial, very unpretentious plants that grow on almost any soil. With their powerful root system, they not only improve physical properties soil, but also rid it of pathogenic fungi and bacteria. By planting these plants, you kind of disinfect your land.

Site selection

Since frequent transplants of Siberian irises are laborious and undesirable, before planting, you should consider their placement and find the most optimal ones.
The most important thing in choosing a place is the illumination of the site. For some reason, it is generally accepted that Siberian irises should be planted in the shade. In fact, they grow best in well-lit areas. When landing in a very sunny place will rarely be useful standing trees and shrubs that give a light shade, but in this case you can not plant irises close to them, because. tree roots dry up the soil. Optimal distance 2 m.
For irises planted in partial shade, flowering is delayed by a week compared to the same variety, but growing in a sunny place. In heavily shaded areas, irises will grow but not bloom.
Site moisture is important. "Siberians" are not so fond of moisture, as is commonly believed. They withstand flooding in the spring with meltwater, but do not grow in water. On excessively moist soils, drainage is required for their planting. They can also grow in elevated dry places, but then they should be watered frequently, especially during the flowering period.
Unlike bearded irises, Siberian irises are wind resistant. They can be planted in areas open to all winds. Bushes with powerful foliage and strong peduncles perfectly resist the wind.

The soil

Neutral or slightly acidic soil works best. Lime and sand should be added to acidic and heavy soils, and peat should be added to alkaline soils. If you have a light loam, and even rich in humus, then your land is the best suited for growing "Siberians".
Sandy soils are the poorest. and moisture, nutrients quickly leave it. It is not easy to adapt such soils, but it is possible - by introducing peat, clay, compost, manure, humus into them.
On peat soils, irises also do not grow well, because. they are too waterlogged and very acidic, but even in such areas these plants can be grown by making drainage and adding lime.

Landing

Before planting, it is necessary to dig up the ground and carefully select weeds, especially such as sow thistle, wheatgrass, gout, bindweed, horsetail. highly developed root system Siberian irises forms a very dense turf, but even its rhizomes of wheatgrass "stitch" through. It may be that to get rid of weeds, the site will have to be treated with a roundup - it is advisable to do this in advance, a year before planting.
Boarding is possible and spring and autumn. They are transplanted in the summer 2-3 weeks after flowering. In the spring they try to plant them as early as possible: at the beginning of the growing season, when young leaves have just appeared and the plants have barely begun to grow; if transplanted later, the regrown tender roots will be damaged, and the plant will hurt.
In summer, an indicator for transplantation is the regrowth of young roots. They usually appear 2-3 weeks after flowering. Immediately after flowering, faded flower stalks should be cut out - then there will be more strength for rooting, they will not be used to ripen the seeds.
In autumn, they should not be planted too late: it takes a month with positive air temperatures to root delenki.

Before planting, the leaves and roots are cut by a third to reduce evaporation. Unlike bearded irises, Siberian rhizomes are deepened by 3-5 cm. If the roots have dried up during transplantation, then they should be soaked for several hours in water with some kind of growth stimulant (heteroauxin, root, potassium permanganate). You can leave them in the water even overnight.

In well-dug soil, holes are made so deep that the roots do not bend when planting. Then the pits are filled with fertile soil and compacted around the plant, watered.

You can plant in an accelerated way:
The blade of the shovel is driven vertically to the full depth, then the stalk of the shovel is taken 30-40 degrees to the side and the iris is planted in the gap formed. After that, they pull out a shovel, fall asleep and compact the earth around the roots.
It is advisable to mulch the soil surface to a height of 3-5 cm with peat, compost or mowed grass - this prevents moisture loss in the soil.
After planting, the delenki should be shaded from the scorching sun if the planting was carried out in the summer. To do this, it is enough to stick broken branches of any trees with leaves into the ground in front of the planted irises.

Watering

Watering is required, but you should be aware of the acidity of the water. Typically, water has an acidity above 7, and so it will gradually increase the acidity of the soil. To prevent this, you can add sulfur to the soil before planting or water the plants. aqueous solution ferrous sulfate (30 g per 10 liters of water). Light green with yellow color of the foliage will tell you that the acidity of the soil has exceeded 7.5-8.0. This prevents the access of nitrogen, and the foliage begins to turn yellow.
"Siberians" will grow well only where the soil under them always remains cool and moist. You don't have to fill them up every day. Moisture can be achieved by mulching the soil with a layer of freshly cut grass or pine-spruce needles. In addition, such a simple technique will also save plantings from weeds.
It is necessary to water quite often, it is better to do this early in the morning (no later than 11) or in the evening. At the same time, one must try to ensure that drops of water do not fall on the flowers - otherwise their decorative effect will disappear.

Fertilizers and top dressings

In early spring, when the snow has not yet completely melted, but the bushes are already visible, they should be fed with full mineral fertilizer("Kemira wagon"), scattering it around the bushes at the rate of 60-80 g per bush.
In early May, it would be nice to do preventive spraying with insecticides against pests waking up from hibernation: winter scoop, thrips, sawfly.
It is advisable to give a second top dressing before flowering, so that it is more lush. You can use for this purpose both organic (compost, slurry, fermented grass) and mineral fertilizers.
The third time it is worth feeding after flowering. Iris bushes are shed with soluble phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, in which nitrogen is present in minimal quantities (or better without it at all).

pruning

In late autumn, the leaves are cut at a height of 12-15 cm. Do not cut the bush too early. Green leaves store nutrients, and thanks to them, the flower buds of the next year are laid. Early cutting of leaves can lead to poor flowering the next year.

Siberian (lat. Iris sibirica) - the most hardy and practical of all representatives of this genus of plants. Siberian irises are widely used in gardens.

This flower is very unpretentious to growing conditions and is able to exist normally even without outside care.

This article is devoted to the features of planting and propagating a plant, caring for it.

a brief description of

There is a lot of information about Siberian on the net, a lot of various photos this plant and different descriptions, but often in these articles information about bearded and Siberian irises is mixed due to their extreme similarity. Let's try to decide for ourselves what this one is.

The most comfortable for iris will be a well-retaining, dense, pre-worked soil with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction, such as loam with a high concentration of humus.

Landing should be preceded by digging up the site and adjusting its characteristics if such a need arises, for example, to restore the natural pH, it should be added by 1 square meter soil 200 g. In the process of digging, you should very carefully select all the roots of the herbs.

Step by step boarding process

The landing process in general terms is as follows:

1. A hole is dug, individual for each plant: the depth is formed from the calculation - the length of the seedling root system + 3–5 cm; width and length - 0.4–0.5 m.
2. Seedlings are buried in the planting hole, carefully observing that the rhizomes do not bend.
3. Next, the plant is covered with fertile soil, compacted around young flowers and.
4. Cover the soil around the perimeter from the stem, or (layer thickness 3–5 cm).

Use in landscape design

Iris Siberian has found the widest application in landscape design. Below are ideas for using it to decorate your yard:

1. On the back of a mixborder or in the center of an island flower bed. Siberian varieties with flowers of white or blue shades against an orange background are especially well combined in these plantings.
2. In a complex of complex flower beds, you can plant this flower at a level that is below the planting level of the majority in the flower bed. From such a move, the flower garden will significantly add to the aesthetic effect.
3. If you plan to make a group planting, which will consist only of irises, you need to choose varieties so that they harmonize in color and bloom at approximately the same period. A good visual effect is given by flowers of various shades of one colors. In this case, plants with the lightest flowers should rise above the rest.
4. A lone iris bush will look good against a backdrop or wall.
5. Be sure to try using this plant for decoration. The xiphoid leaves, reminiscent of reeds, look very natural against the background.

As mentioned earlier, the Siberian iris is extremely unpretentious plant, but for best results in its breeding, minimal flower care should still be carried out, followed by the best reward for the gardener - when the Siberian iris blooms.

Watering

Irrigation is carried out not regularly and as needed, to maintain the general soil moisture and during particularly dry periods. Siberians are not afraid of droughts, but they will react extremely positively to additional moisture during the growing season.

Will help achieve best level soil moisture and eliminate the need to make a daily layer of 3-5 centimeters thick, preferably from cut grass or fallen needles.

The best time to perform this plant is considered to be early morning (no later than noon) or evening, after 17:00. When making, it is advisable not to get moisture on the flower petals, as this may contribute to the loss of their aesthetic qualities.

top dressing

A total of one year three dressings this flower. The first is at the beginning, with the help of a full one, which crumbles around the bush. Can be used, for example, at a dose of 60–80 g per flower. The granules should be carefully sealed with a chopper into the soil so that they do not fall on young shoots and do not harm their development.

The second feeding is done during the formation of the bud, it is designed to prolong and improve the quality of flowering and help the plant form the largest possible flowers. For this top dressing, both and (, herbal infusions) substances are suitable.

The third time irises are fertilized after the flowering period - this is dictated by the need to restore the forces expended on the formation of flowers. This top dressing should use potassium-phosphorus nutrients with the smallest content in them (ideally - completely without it), for example, bone

(Iris sibirica) or iris is a wonderful unpretentious perennial rhizome plant. Translated from Greek, "iris" means "rainbow" and is named after the Greek goddess Irida. This graceful trouble-free flower should grow in every garden, because its powerful root system improves the physical properties of the soil, ridding it of disease-causing fungi and all kinds of bacteria. In one place, the Siberian iris can feel good up to 10 years, you just need to add soil to the bare roots to the base of the bush.

Bluish-blue old varieties can be found quite often in private gardens. And this is not surprising. After all, the curtains of cold-resistant Siberian irises amaze with their decorative effect all season, which is undeniable dignity this excellent perennial. A bush with thin, xiphoid, linear leaves with a waxy coating resembles a fan and always attracts the eye. The first Siberian irises bloom already at the end of May, however, the mass flowering of varieties begins in the second half of June and lasts about a month. Flowers, peculiar butterflies, also will not leave anyone indifferent. Now you can find terry varieties on sale. Seed boxes can be used in the preparation of dry bouquets.

In nature, Siberian irises can be found in the wet meadows of Europe and Asia. They are not afraid of spring floods and heavy rains, as they love moisture. However, they will not grow permanently in water. If the weather is hot, then species Siberian irises will do fine without watering, extracting moisture from the deep layers of the soil due to a powerful root system. Varietal plants will still have to be watered.

Siberian irises already in the 16th century interested breeders who tried to develop new forms of it. And on the island of Crete they found drawings of this magnificent flower, which date back to the third millennium BC.

Planting site, soil

Where to plant Siberian irises?

In principle, Siberian irises grow and bloom anywhere. New varieties, of course, are more whimsical. Most the best place - this is partial shade, a diffused shadow from trees and shrubs. In sunny areas, plants fade faster and require watering, and in deep shade they stretch more, although they bloom without problems.

Siberian irises are undemanding to the soil, although they do not like alkaline ones. Prefer loamy soils that retain moisture for a long time.

Once again, I note that it is better to plant new varieties in the openwork shade of trees and shrubs in fertile loamy soil.

Landing

When can Siberian irises be planted?

For landings on lunar calendar look at the records: "", "", "August", "September".

If the plant is purchased in a container, then it can be planted throughout the garden season. Before planting, the container with the plant must be soaked in a solution of any growth stimulator (Kornevin, Epin, etc.) or simply in water for 20-30 minutes. The plant is planted as it grew in the container, without deepening.

If the plant was purchased with an open root system, then the root must be soaked either in natural stimulants, or in purchased preparations (humate, etc.) for a period of 6 to 12 hours. The rhizomes of Siberian irises are best planted in early spring (April, early May) or late summer-autumn (August, September). The delenki take root for about a month. You can deepen the rhizomes to a depth of 3-5 cm, but no more.

Since Siberian irises can grow at one place long enough (5-7 years or more), it is recommended to carefully consider the landing site. To the upper fertile garden layer (15-20 cm) per m², it would be nice to add a bucket of compost (humus), 0.5 buckets of sand and 40-60 g of any complex fertilizer. Everything is well mixed (preferably in advance, 2 weeks before planting) and the iris is planted. A mound is made of earth in the hole, a rhizome is placed on it and the roots are straightened, and then a 4-5 cm layer of earth is sprinkled on top. The soil around the plant is required (mowed grass, coniferous needles, bark, etc.). This will help retain moisture in the soil and discourage weed growth.

If several plants are planted side by side, then the distance between them should be at least 30-40 cm.

Care

AT special care Siberian irises do not need, moreover, having taken root, they drown out weeds with their powerful root system. However, at the beginning of growth, the first time after planting (2-3 weeks), the plants need mandatory watering and weeding. Yes, and during flowering, Siberian irises are recommended to be watered to prolong flowering.

In autumn at the end of October, after the first frosts, it is recommended to cut the foliage at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground. Powerful foliage that does not rot during the winter makes it difficult for young leaves to grow in the spring. If there is a long warm autumn, then you can transfer the pruning of foliage to early spring.

top dressing

Siberian irises practically do not need top dressing. If the soil was prepared and fertilized during planting, then this will be enough for the plants for 2-3 years. Then, if early in spring or autumn 30-40 g of any complex fertilizer is scattered under each bush, then Siberian irises will thank for more lush flowering.

In early spring, you can feed them with any one, this will help good growth and profuse flowering.

Diseases and pests

For 10 years of growth of Siberian irises in my garden, I did not notice diseases and pests on them. If the iris began to bloom poorly, the leaves turn yellow early - these are signs that the plant needs to be divided.

In specialized literature, one can find references that Siberian irises are affected by thrips, winter cutworms, sawflies and other pests. This suggests that the Siberian iris grows in a completely neglected place. Transplant it in partial shade, in fertile soil and he will cope with diseases and pests himself.

If they are susceptible to bacteriosis, then Siberian irises are immune to this terrible disease.

reproduction

How and when can Siberian iris be propagated?

seeds. Siberian irises give self-sowing, but varietal properties are not preserved during such reproduction. However, for species irises, this is a good, but long, way of reproduction. From the cleaned seed pods, the seeds are scattered in the right place somewhere in October, and in the spring in May you can already see shoots. Plants bloom from seeds for 2-3 years.

The division of the bush. Best time for propagation of Siberian irises by rhizomes - a month after flowering. This is approximately from mid-August to the end of September. By this time, plants accumulate maximum nutrients for the winter, take root well and overwinter well. You can not dig up the entire bush, but with a sharp large knife (shovel) cut off a piece of rhizome. The plot must have at least 3 fans of leaves, which must be shortened to 5-7 cm before planting. The cuts must be sprinkled with charcoal, and the roots and foliage should be cut, leaving about 10-15 cm. The plot is planted in the right place with prepared soil. For the winter, plantings are sprinkled with fallen leaves.

Application

Siberian irises look great on the shore or stream. In mixborders, with group plantings of various plants, the iris curtain will inevitably attract attention with its excellent fountain-like shape of the bush.

As companions to Siberian irises, delphiniums, tall and even are suitable. However, I like it best when the Siberian iris grows as a tapeworm. His overgrown curtain inevitably attracts the eye.

Siberian irises are exquisitely beautiful, few people can remain indifferent to the bizarre lines of flowers, silky petals, as if painted by a mysterious artist. These irises do not freeze in winter, they can bloom magnificently for decades, rarely get sick.

And the hybrid varieties that have appeared are also pleasing with a richness of color. If the petals of natural species are bluish-lilac, then varietal ones can be white, yellow, pink, purple, the color can even shimmer from one tone to another.

Today, Siberian irises are at the peak of popularity. So it was four thousand years ago, when they adorned the gardens of Egypt, the Babylonian kingdom, Assyria, Crete, Ancient Rome. Medieval

Europe also admired them, but the appearance of varietal bearded irises relegated Siberians to the background.

And only the creation of hybrid varieties returned their former popularity, they again became desirable in the best gardens and parks of the world.

Siberian irises, despite their name, do not grow in Siberia, but in northern Italy, eastern Switzerland, the Baltic States, Western Belarus, in the high mountain meadows of the Caucasus and Turkey. We meet in the south of the Arkhangelsk region and in the Komi Republic. And in Siberia grows blood-red iris.

It was these two species that became the first parents of hybrid varieties of Siberian iris. Then there were many more crossings, as a result, about 800 hybrid varieties were bred. Given that breeding work conducted since the middle of the last century, the result has been significant.

If a wild-growing iris produces a straight peduncle bearing no more than three flowers, then among the hybrids there are varieties with branched stems that adorn up to seven flowers, which significantly lengthens the flowering period.

A classification of hybrid Siberian irises has already appeared, based on such features as color, shape and size of flowers, height of peduncles and flowering time.

Siberian irises: eyes, standards and fouls

The classic flower of the Siberian iris consists of three narrow petals directed upwards (standards) and three wide lower ones (falls). Near their base there is a contrasting spot - a peephole. In hybrids, all petals can be wide, and all of them are directed up or down. There are varieties with double flowers or with corrugated petal edges. The size of the flowers varies from 5 cm to 16 cm.

Breeders have worked a lot with the color of the petals. They can be of the same color, without spots or borders: white, blue, blue, purple, cream, yellow and even pink, raspberry and wine red.

The upper and lower petals come in different tones of the same color or different color. For example, the top petals are white or blue, while the bottom petals are yellow, blue, pink, or purple. In some varieties, the color of the petals is even difficult to describe - several colors smoothly flow into each other.

The great advantage of Siberian irises is the strength of the stems, even at a height of 70-120 cm they do not need supports. Medium-sized irises (50-70 cm) are perhaps the most popular among summer residents, and dwarf (25-50 cm) and dwarf (15-20 cm) are often planted in parks.

Hybrid Siberian irises also differ in flowering time. There are varieties that bloom in June, but most bloom in July - August. Irises planted in the shade bloom later. Available remontant varieties that bloom twice a season: in spring and autumn.

Varieties of Siberian irises

Multicolored Iridarium

To give you an idea of ​​the beauty of hybrid irises, we have grouped the most popular varieties by color and present them to your attention.

Siberian irises with white flowers:

Butterfly Fountain, Belissima, Easter CDM, Snow Prince, White Pane, Forfold White, Harpswell Shantez, Shirley Choyce, Eol (domestic variety).

Siberian irises with yellow flowers:

Butte End Krim, Butte End Suga, Dane Susie, Dreamin Yellow, Isabelle, Moon Silk, Sunny Spells.

Siberian irises with pink flowers

Valley of Delight, Jax Hale, Dawn Walte, Mary Louise Michi, Roaring Je-lee, Packing Rose, Frostid Cranberry, Hye Wave.

Siberian irises with purple, red-violet and other flowers

Anya Marie Troger, Blackburn Jubilee, Jemakin Velwit, Jeweld Crown, Indy, Lady Vanessa, Ovil Fay, Plum Frolik, Sweet Surrander, Hubbard, Active Duty.

Siberian irises with blue flowers

Vicky Ann, Lady Of Qolity, Lilting Laura, Mae Love, Riverdance, Sally Carlin, Silver Edge, Super Ego, Steps In Blue, Tweed.

Blue-violet, purple Siberian irises:

Liberty Hills, Ruffle Velwit, Ruffles Round, Reprise, Sultans Ruby, Silver Edge, Super Ego, Hurry (Domestic Variety), Trim The Velwit, Tylwood, White Conner Swee, High Standards, Caesar Bryze, Shirley Pope, Eduard Riegel (domestic variety).

Iridescent Siberian irises:

Blackburn Jubilee, Book of Secrets, White Emba.

Two-color Siberian irises:

Dane Ballerine Dane, Shakers Praye, Orientel Capital, Hantis.

Where to plant Siberian irises

Since frequent transplants of Siberian irises are laborious and undesirable, before planting, you should consider where to settle them. For some reason, it is believed that they love the shade. In fact, these irises bloom best in places well lit by the sun. After all, in nature they are found along the edges of the forest, in forest glades, floodplain meadows. Therefore, in the garden it is necessary to find a place for them, sufficiently illuminated by the sun, at least half a day.

When planting in a very sunny place, trees and shrubs can become protection from the burning rays, giving a slight shade. In this case, irises should be planted at a distance of 2 m from them, as their roots dry out the soil.

Siberian irises thrive in damp places, but on excessively moist soils, drainage is required for their planting. They can also grow in elevated dry places, only then they should be watered more often, especially during flowering. Surprisingly, these irises can grow even on a rocky hill. For such planting, low-growing varieties are suitable.

Since Siberian irises have strong stems, they can be planted in areas open to all winds. Bushes with powerful foliage and strong peduncles successfully resist the wind.

Neighbors for Siberian irises

In mixed flower beds (mixborders), Siberian irises feel great, because they come from meadow species, where they grow together with daylilies, watersheds, acanitas, delphiniums and lilies. White looks especially good blue varieties Siberians on the background of orange swimsuits.

In complex flower beds, Siberian irises can be planted in low places, the soil level in which is 10-15 cm lower than the rest of the surface. Thanks to this trick, the decorative effect of the flower garden will increase, since the height of Siberian irises will visually decrease. In addition, such plantings are very convenient for flood irrigation.

When group planting only irises, it is necessary to select varieties in such a way that they all bloom at the same time and harmonize in color. Irises of different shades of the same color look beautiful. In this case, the plant with the lightest flowers should be the tallest.

The Siberian iris bush with its green fountains of leaves looks good on the lawn. Against the background of the lawn, a group of 3-5 can also be formed. different varieties. They can be combined with other perennials such as peonies, daylilies, hostas, oriental poppies.

Advice:

Siberian irises look great against the background of the lawn, but it is important to ensure that the grass roots do not fit into the circle of irises and do not interfere with their growth.

Planting irises along the paths is also very effective, especially if the paths are curved. Siberians will look even more attractive if they are planted in two rows, placing low varieties in the foreground.

Imagine how beautiful the composition will be with white or blue Siberian iris against the background of carved foliage and bright red oriental poppy flowers. Such a group is also very effective: a dark blue Siberian iris, a white-yellow peony Claire de Lune and a calico-colored lupine connecting them.

Siberian irises are simply indispensable for decorating ponds. Bright large flowers reflected in the water will not leave anyone indifferent. Their xiphoid leaves, reminiscent of reeds, look very natural on the shore of a pond. BUT high humidity air and soil creates the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of these beautiful flowers.

Siberian irises care

Siberian hybrid irises will grace your garden for many years if you give them a little attention. Plant in a conspicuous place, you will make sure that they do not suffer from hunger and thirst. And when the bushes grow and the roots become crowded, rejuvenate them by dividing them into several parts.

So you will have new plants of Siberian irises grown with your own hands.

We prepare the soil for planting Siberian irises

Before planting, the soil must be prepared so that Siberian irises have enough nutrients in it for a long time. We remind you that in one place they can grow 12-15 years.

Preparation should begin with digging the ground and removing weeds, especially rhizomatous ones, such as thistle, couch grass, gout, bindweed, horsetail, which cause a lot of trouble to irises. Despite the fact that the highly developed root system of these flowers forms a very dense turf, even the rhizomes of weeds climb into it and pierce it through and through. If there is a lot of weed grass, you can clean the area from it with a roundup. However, this should be done a year before planting flowers.

Siberian irises grow best in neutral or slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5). If the site is light loam and even rich in humus, then the land is the best suited for growing them.

Acidic and heavy soils are improved with lime and sand, and peat is added to alkaline soils to increase acidity. Sandy land is the poorest. Both moisture and nutrients quickly leave it. It is not easy to adapt such a plot for growing Siberian irises, but it is possible by adding a bucket of clay and 2-3 buckets of nutrient compost or peat with humus per 1 m 2.

In peaty soils, irises also do not grow well, since such areas are too waterlogged and very acidic, but Siberians can also be grown there by making drainage and adding lime (300-500 g / m 2). clay soil improved by adding when digging a mixture of river sand(10-15 kg / m 2) and peat with humus or compost (1-2 buckets / m 2).

When buying irises, look at the root

The rhizomes of Siberian irises do not tolerate drying out. Therefore, when selling, they suffer most often, especially if the sellers did not take care of them. When buying, pay attention to the packaging of planting material. Most the best option- rhizomes of irises in pots, and more reliable if they are grown in domestic nurseries, and not in greenhouses in Holland.

A good option if the rhizomes are placed in a plastic bag and sprinkled with sphagnum moss, which retains moisture well and is also a natural antiseptic.

Often, the rhizomes are simply sprinkled with peat - this is not the best option, since the roots often turn out to be overdried, which is why the irises do not take root well and get sick for a long time.

And of course don't buy planting material from random people in spontaneous markets. The chances that they will have varieties of hybrid Siberian irises are not only minimal, but we can safely say that they are equal to zero.

Planting and transplanting irises

Planting Siberian irises is possible from the second half of August to mid-September and early May. They are transplanted in the summer, 2-3 weeks after flowering.

If planted later in the spring, there is a high risk of damage to the overgrown tender roots, because of which the plant will be sick for a long time. belated autumn planting also a waste of work. The fact is that for rooting, irises need a month with positive air temperatures.

Planting acquired rhizomes of Siberian irises is as follows. In well-dug soil, holes are made so deep that the roots do not bend when planting. The rhizomes are deepened by 5-7 cm, covered with fertile soil, compacted around the planted plants and watered.

In the spring, with early thaws, irises can be squeezed out to the surface. In this case, they should be deepened in a timely manner.

You can plant in an accelerated way. This is done as follows: the blade of the shovel is driven vertically to the full depth, then the stalk of the shovel is taken 30-40 degrees to the side and the Siberian iris is planted in the gap formed. After that, they pull out a shovel, fall asleep and compact the earth around the roots.

After watering, cover the soil around the plants with peat, compost or mowed grass (layer 3-5 cm). This mulch will protect the irises from losing moisture in the soil. If the planting was carried out in hot weather, new plants should be shaded from the scorching sun. To do this, it is enough to stick branches with leaves into the ground in front of the plants.

If an iris bush growing in the garden needs to be transplanted, they are waiting for the end of flowering. After the flower stalks are cut off, so that the plant does not waste nutrients on seed maturation. After 2-3 weeks, the bush is dug up, the roots and leaves are cut by a third and planted in a previously prepared place, deepening by 5-7 cm.

If the roots of irises purchased by mail have dried up during shipment, soak them for several hours in water with a growth stimulator. You can leave them in the water even overnight. When planting several plants on the lawn, the distance between them is 60-70 cm. In mixborders, irises can be planted after 40-50 cm and even after 25 cm. However, in the latter case, every second plant will have to be transplanted after 2-3 years.

Watering is required

For successful cultivation Siberian irises needed high humidity air and soil, because in natural conditions they usually grow in wet meadows, where it is damp in spring and cool during their flowering.

However, often watering irises can harm them. The fact is that water has a pH above 7, which means that it is highly likely that it will gradually alkalize the soil. If the color of the leaves has turned light green with yellowness, this is a signal that the soil acidity is above 7.5. In such a situation, nitrogen becomes difficult for the plant to access and the foliage begins to turn yellow. To prevent this, before planting Siberian irises, add sulfur to the soil or water the plants with an aqueous solution of ferrous sulfate (30 g per 10 l of water).

How to keep the soil under the irises cool and moist without flooding them with water every day? This is easily achieved by mulching the soil with a layer of freshly cut grass, pine or spruce needles. Such a simple agricultural technique will not only benefit the plants, but also save you from weeds, you do not have to weed.

What feeding - such flowering

In early spring, when the snow has not yet completely melted, and the bushes of Siberian irises are already turning green, it is necessary to carry out the first top dressing with complete mineral fertilizer, scattering fertilizer around the bushes. When using Kemira-universal, you will need 60-80 g per plant. The fertilizer must be carefully planted into the soil with a chopper so that its granules do not fall on the growing shoots and do not damage them.

The second top dressing is given to Siberians when buds are formed, so that the flowering is lush and long, and the flowers grow large. Fertilizer can be used both organic (compost, slurry, fermented grass) and complete mineral.

For the third time, irises are fed after flowering - after all, they gave so much strength to bloom magnificently. This time they use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, in which nitrogen is present in minimal quantities (or better without it at all), for example, such as autumn kemira wagon (10-15 g / m 2).

beauty protection

Siberian irises, unlike bearded ones, get sick very rarely. Yet sometimes, especially in rainy years, the base of the leaf bundles is affected by rust. The disease can be stopped by treating the bushes with a 0.4-0.5% solution of copper oxychloride, sold under the name "abiga peak".

Very rarely, bushes of Siberian irises are also affected by a disease such as scorch: the foliage begins to turn brown, the ends of the leaves dry out and bend. The main means of prevention is the timely division of the bush into several parts, followed by transplantation to another place. For treatment, irises are sprayed with a 0.6-0.8% solution of sulfur suspension. In case of severe damage, the plant is dug up and burned, and the earth is shed with potassium permanganate, bleach or formalin.

Sometimes caterpillars of butterflies: the scoop of winter and iris, wintering in the ground, in the spring eat away the bases of flower shoots, which leads to their yellowing, and sometimes to death. For prevention, in early May, the plant and the soil around it are sprayed with a 10% solution of karbofos. If caterpillars appear, kinmix is ​​used against them (1 ampoule per 8 liters of water), after treating the plant, 2-3 cm of soil is removed, replaced with fresh and spilled with dissolved kinmix, spraying is repeated a week later.

Yellowing of foliage in Siberian irises is not a disease, but a consequence of a lack of available iron. In this case, you need to spray the leaves and water the soil with iron chelate. Mulching with coniferous decay also gives good results.

It happens that gladiolus tripe settles in leaf bundles. The color of such leaves becomes brown, and they begin to dry. Tobacco infusion helps to get rid of this pest: 400 g of tobacco dust is poured into 10 liters of water, insisted for two days, filtered and, adding 40 g to the solution laundry soap, sprayed plants. Processed twice with a weekly interval.

Another occupier is the iridescent sawfly. The insect itself is small, but its larvae reach 2 cm in length and are very voracious, often after them only the central veins remain from the leaves. They get rid of them by spraying plants with insecticides - you can use the kinmix recommended above - however, if only a few plants are affected, it is easier to cut their leaves along with caterpillars at a height of 10-12 cm and burn them.

Care after flowering

Faded stems are cut, and as low as possible. Removal of peduncles and phosphorus-potassium top dressing will help to better lay flower buds, which means lush bloom next year.

For a successful winter late autumn cut the leaves at a height of 12-15 cm. Do not do this too early. Green leaves store nutrients, which means they also contribute to the laying of flower buds. This is why early leaf cutting can lead to reduced flowering the next year.

Reproduction of Siberian irises

Hybrid Siberian irises are propagated by dividing the rhizomes, since the seeds do not convey the varietal characteristics of the plant. However, natural species can be propagated by seed. Moreover, they often self-pollinate. This is both good and bad. Well, because thanks to self-sowing, Siberian irises are not threatened with extinction: the seeds, having fallen to the ground in autumn, germinate in the spring. But in the garden, self-seeding of species irises planted along with hybrid varieties, is a disadvantage, as it clogs valuable specimens with rootless offspring.

When dividing the bush, the plant is dug up, shaken off the adhering earth and the rhizome is torn apart. It is easiest to divide 3-4-year-old irises, older and older bushes are more difficult to divide. The roots of such plants are so intertwined that they form a large dense turf that cannot be torn apart by hand. Only by using a sharp shovel and knife, it is possible to divide the old bush.

Reproduction of the Siberian iris:
1 - division of the bush;
2 - preparation for planting single-shoot and large delenki

You can get planting material without digging up the plants. To do this, the soil is raked from one side of the bush and the leaf bundle with a piece of rhizome is separated with a shovel, the cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal, the bush is covered with earth, and the delenka is planted in a previously prepared place.

The smallest planting unit should have a one-year shoot with a bunch of leaves and roots. However, such delenki bloom only after 2 years, so only very valuable varieties are divided in this way. The usual planting unit consists of 3-4 shoots with roots and leaves. At the delenka, the roots are immediately cut, leaving 5-7 cm, and the leaves are 2/3 of their length. This is done to reduce the evaporation of moisture.

For Siberian irises, the most important thing is not to overdry the rhizomes. Therefore, they are immediately planted, in extreme cases they are added dropwise before planting. If delenki are promised to someone, they are packed in moss, wrapped plastic wrap and pierce it in several places for air access to the roots. When sending the roots of Siberians should not dry out, but waterlogging is also undesirable - this can lead to the development of diseases and rot. Important point– time of division and landing. Although Siberian irises can be transplanted at any time (spring, summer, autumn), specific climatic conditions should still be taken into account. I think it's best to plant delenki early autumn, leaving one month for rooting without frost.

Mulching the soil around Siberian plantings is another secret to success. You can mulch with grass clippings, pine needles, bark and even straw.