Iris Bearded: Planting and Care

Iris bearded can be seen on almost any plot of land - on a flower bed or in a flower garden. Iris bearded, landing and caring for which do not cause much trouble and do not require special skills and skill, is rather unpretentious perennial with luxurious inflorescences of the original form and the most diverse color. Every season, breeders delight flower growers with new and new hybrids, and today in flower shops you can purchase planting material of bearded irises as traditional shades, and the most unexpected and unusual.

Iris bearded: what is he and how to distinguish from other varieties of irises?

The family of irises is quite extensive: it has more than 300 members, but the bearded iris, planting and caring for which are discussed in this article, is perhaps the most common form. Its inflorescences are of fairly large size and complex shape: 6 petals are arranged in two tiers (three securely guarding the pistil and the stamens of the petal form something like a tent, and the bottom three are smoothly lowered downwards). A distinctive feature of bearded irises is the presence of a kind of "beard" on the lower petals: paths of numerous tender villi, often having a contrasting color in relation to the color of the petals.

Iris leaves are dense, elongated, with distinct longitudinal veins and pointed tip. Rhizome consists of links growing every year, located on the surface of the soil or slightly buried in the ground, rapidly expanding, forming dense thickets.

Growing irises of the bearded: how to choose the right place on the site and plant the plants?

The optimal place for landing of bearded irises is the southern side of the site, protected from wind and drafts, capable of breaking fragile flowers, and also slightly shaded by bright sun rays. Soil iris bearded, planting and care for which are planned on your site, prefers loose, without weeds, perhaps even stony. Do not abuse organic fertilizers, as overfed iris will only increase the 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 are not buried in the soil, because then the plant will need a lot of force to push the shoots to the surface of the earth. So, we excavate the hole, in it we pour a mound of earth, on which we have a rhizome. On the slopes of the mound we have smaller roots and sprinkled with earth. Some experienced flower growers even recommend opening the rhizomes in the warm season, freeing them from the cover from the ground so that they can soak up the sun.

Bearded irises: we organize the correct watering

In conditions of a moderately rainy summer, irises practically do not need additional watering. If the summer is arid, enough water 1-2 times a week, your beloved irises are bearded. Planting and caring for them are simple, only in some cases more intensive moistening is required:

- for better rooting of young plants in the first few weeks;

- during the introduction of radical fertilizing for better absorption;

- during budding and flowering, if natural moistening is not enough.

It is best to water the bearded irises carefully, with a slight pressure of water, so as not to wash away the rhizomes. It should avoid watering in the morning, as fallen on the leaves and inflorescences of water drops during evaporation can leave burns and spoil the decorative appearance of irises.

In a word, the bearded iris, planting and caring for which is already being carried out by you on the plot or just planned - is an excellent choice for the flower garden decor, a luxurious decoration for the whole season!