Bearded iris can be seen on almost any household plot - in a flower bed or in a flower garden. A bearded iris, planting and caring for which does not cause much trouble and does not require special skills and craftsmanship, is a rather unpretentious perennial with luxurious inflorescences of an original form and a wide variety of colors. Every season, breeders delight florists with more and more hybrids, and today in flower shops you can buy planting material for bearded irises, both traditional shades and the most unexpected and unusual ones.
Bearded iris: what is it and how to distinguish it from other varieties of irises?
The iris family is quite extensive: it has more than 300 members, but the bearded iris, the landing and care of which are discussed in this article, is perhaps the most common type. Its inflorescences have a rather large size and complex shape: 6 petals are arranged in two tiers (three reliably guarding the pestle and stamens of the petal form something like a tent, and the bottom three smoothly descend down). A distinctive feature of bearded irises is the presence of a kind of "beard" on the lower petals: paths of numerous delicate villi, often having a contrasting color with respect to the color of the petals.
The leaves of the iris are dense, elongated, with distinct longitudinal veins and a pointed end. Rhizome consists of links that grow every year, is located on the surface of the soil or slightly buried in the ground, grows rapidly, forming dense thickets.
Growing bearded irises: how to choose the right place on the site and plant the plants?
The best place for planting bearded irises is the southern side of the site, protected from wind and drafts that can break fragile flowers, as well as slightly shaded from bright sunlight. The soil is bearded iris, the planting and care of which are planned on your site, prefers loose, without weeds, possibly even rocky. Organic fertilizers should not be abused, since overfilled iris will only increase excess green mass to the detriment of flowering.
When planting young plants in the ground, it is important to ensure that the thickest links of the rhizome do not penetrate the soil, because then the plant will need a lot of strength to push the shoots to the surface of the earth. So, we dig a hole, pour a mound of earth into it, on which we place the rhizome. On the slopes of the mound we have smaller roots and sprinkle with earth. Some experienced flower growers even recommend to open the rhizomes in the warm season, freeing them from the cover from the ground, so that they can soak in the sun.
Bearded irises: organize the right watering
In a moderately rainy summer, irises practically do not need additional watering. If the summer is dry, it’s enough to water your beloved irises bearded 1-2 times a week. Planting and caring for them are simple, only in some cases more intensive hydration is required:
- for better rooting of young plants in the first few weeks;
- during the introduction of radical top dressing for better absorption;
- during the period of budding and flowering, if natural moisture is not enough.
It is best to water the bearded irises carefully, with a small pressure of water, so as not to erode the rhizomes. Watering in the morning should be avoided, since water droplets falling on leaves and inflorescences during evaporation can leave burns and spoil the decorative appearance of irises.
In a word, bearded iris, planting and care of which are already being carried out by you on a personal plot or are just being planned, is a great choice for flower garden decor, a luxurious decoration for the whole season!