Loosen the soil with a tiller or garden fork to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. How to Plant Irises For bare-root irises, plant the rhizome horizontally with the top exposed.
In climates with hot summers, plant the rhizome just below the soil surface. Plant rhizomes singly or in groups of three, 1 to 2 feet apart, depending on the size. Dig a shallow hole 10 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep. Make a ridge of soil down the middle and place the rhizome on the ridge, spreading roots down both sides.
Fill the hole with soil and firm it gently, leaving part of the rhizome and the foliage uncovered. The rhizomes of these plants should be partially exposed to the elements, or thinly covered with soil in hot climates. Do not mulch around the rhizome as this practice may encourage rot. Water thoroughly. How to Grow Irises Fertilize in early spring with an all-purpose fertilizer scratched in around the plants.
Avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers to the surface or carelessly mulching with organic matter, which may encourage rhizome rot. Reblooming Irises perform best if fertilized again after the first wave of flowering is finished. Do not overwater irises; too much moisture in the soil can cause the rhizomes roots to rot. Water consistently and deeply, especially during summer drought. Keep rhizomes exposed. Unlike bulbs, which thrive deep underground, iris rhizomes need a bit of sun and air to dry them out.
Irises may benefit from shallow mulching in the spring. Taller irises may need staking or they will fall over. Watch for iris borers in the foliage dark vertical lines that may appear watery show up in the leaves.
See pest tips below. Deadhead remove spent blooms consistently; Bearded Irises will flower sequentially on buds spaced along the stems. After blooming is finished, cut flower stems down at their base, but do NOT trim iris leaves after they have finished blooming.
Cut off brown tips—and cut the flowering stalk down to the rhizome to discourage rot. After hard frost in the fall, cut foliage back hard, remove any foliage that appears spotted or yellowed and dispose of all debris in the trash. If iris foliage is hit with heavy frost, remove and destroy it to eliminate borer eggs. See your local frost dates. For winter protection, cover the rhizomes with an inch or two of sand topped with a light layer of evergreen boughs, applied after the ground freezes and removed when the Forsythias bloom the following spring.
In the early spring, remove winter mulch and any old foliage to allow for fresh, new growth and prevent Iris borers.
Shortly after blooming mid-summer , carefully dig up the clump of irises. Separate these rhizomes from the mother with a sharp knife and discard of the mother, as it will no longer produce blooms. Inspect the rhizomes for any rotting tissue or other signs of disease, removing and discarding infected parts or entire unhealthy rhizomes. Trim the iris foliage down to 3 to 5 inches in height so that the plants can focus on establishing new roots.
Plant these fresh rhizomes in a new bed, replant them where they were before after adding new soil , or share them with friends and spread the joy of irises! Irises are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant. However, they are susceptible to the horrible Iris Borer which overwinters as eggs in spent leaves. If you see vertical streaks in the leaves, then look for these pests and squash them! If you see signs of rot in the rhizome, dig it up and remove the affected parts.
Verbena bud moth, whiteflies , iris weevil, thrips , slugs and snails, aphids , and nematodes may also be troublesome. The tall bearded iris varieties come in flamboyant colors which lively up the June garden. They are June bloomers and generally planted only in the fall. Siberian Irises , I. They have a delicate beauty than the stately beared irises but are equally rugged.
The Japanese Iris , I. The iris is depicted in the French royal standard fleur-de-lis and is also the symbol of Florence, Italy. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? Planting Fall Bulbs for Spring Growing Japanese Iris. Easy Perennial Flowers for Growing the Siberian Iris. Growing Allium: The Ornamental How to Divide Bearded Irises—With The Best Fall Flowers for Your Evergreen irises require deadheading but you only need to remove the foliage if it's damaged or dead.
Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. To remove spent flower stalks from bearded iris plants, follow the stem all the way down to the base of the plant where it meets the rhizome the thick fleshy root-like structure , and trim it off using a sharp pair of pruning shears.
Cut the stem at an angle if possible. If you cut it flat, rain and irrigation water collect on the cut surface, which can lead to crown rot. Angled cuts encourage water to run off the side. Unfortunately, bearded irises are prone to several different diseases. Bacterial leaf blight, botrytis, ink spot, soft rot, and leaf spot are among the most common. These diseases leave iris foliage marred with brown spots or streaks. Some cause the rhizomes to turn mushy.
And they make the plants look downright ugly. Since all of these diseases are encouraged by wet weather or damp, humid conditions, encouraging good air circulation is key to preventing these diseases or, at the very least, lessening their damage. Do not water irises in the evening and use drip irrigation or a soaker hose instead of an overhead sprinkler if possible. The drier the foliage stays, the better. Immediately remove any iris leaves that show signs of disease spots, streaks, or blotches and throw them into the garbage.
Cut them off as close to the rhizome as possible. Continue to remove discolored foliage as soon as it appears. I do this two or three times through June and July to keep the plants looking good. In late summer, if the plants are flopping over and looking really disheveled, prune the entire plant back.
This improves air circulation around the rhizomes and discourages rhizome rot. Prune each leaf blade at an angle to create a rounded fan shape and prevent rainwater from sitting on the cut surface and causing rot.
At the end of the growing season, after the leaves have been killed by a few fall frosts, completely remove all foliage. Most of iris diseases overwinter on the leaf debris. Getting rid of the foliage limits the presence of overwintering fungal spores.
Iris borers Macronoctua onusta are a species of moth larva that feed on the rhizomes of bearded iris. Their feeding causes iris foliage to turn slimy and yellow. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Use your fingers or scissors to deadhead your Iris. Try to remove the flowers just as they begin to wilt or fade as doing this prevents them from growing seed pods. To deadhead an Iris bloom, either use your fingers or take a clean sharp pair of scissors and snip or pinch off the single bloom just behind the flowerhead.
Avoid cutting blooms that have not opened yet. Try to avoid accidentally removing any remaining flowers as there may be other blooms on the stem yet to open. Some varieties of Iris such as African Iris have blooms which last only for one day but the plant will quickly grow new ones. Remove the stems after any possibility of flowering is over. Some Iris varieties such as the bearded Iris will often flower twice, once in early summer and once in late summer.
Removing the flower stem helps prevent rot. To do this: [4] X Research source Take a sharp blade such as a pair of garden sheers. The stem will be quite woody in many iris varieties. Snip the stem off at the base near the ground about an inch above the rhizome. This stem can then be composted. Leave the foliage on your plant.
The Iris will use the foliage to draw energy into its roots to help it survive the winter. Leave the foliage on the plant until it withers away of its own accord. In the fall, once the foliage is withering away, you can cut back the foliage to about 6 inches Method 2. Know that seed production may keep your plant from producing more flowers. Seed production takes your plant's energies away from flower production, so removing the dead flowers at their swollen base prevents seeds from being formed at that site.
The plant then often goes on to produce more blooms than it would otherwise have done. Understand that seed production can lead to more irises growing in your garden. Some plants need to be deadheaded to prevent the plant from self-seeding throughout your garden. Plants such as poppy and ox eye daisy tend to spread themselves by seeding the surrounding area of ground and this may become a nuisance.
Deadheading these and other plants will stop this from happening and contain the spread of plants in your garden. Consider keeping attractive seed heads if you don't want to deadhead your plants.
Some Irises have attractive seedheads so you may wish to avoid deadheading in order to enjoy the seedhead display once the flowers are finished. Method 3.
0コメント