Shake off the soil and leave them to dry before placing in a netted bag. Hang somewhere cool and dry, such as a shed or cellar. Brown spots and patches on the leaves that merge together is likely a sign of the fungal disease leaf spot.
Remove and dispose of any affected leaves and clear away any dead debris below the plants. The fungal disease rhizome rot or bulb rot can affect irises. Before planting you may notice soft spots, slimy bits or a bad smell. If they are already planted, the leaves may yellow or lose their colour from the bottom up and the plant can flop and collapse.
If rhizomes are affected bearded irises it is possible to cut away the affected parts of the rhizome and replant in a different spot. This could be a number of things. Perhaps overcrowding — bearded irises in particular do not like to be shaded by other plants. Shade in general may impact flowering.
It could also be rhizome or bulb rot, or potentially the foliage was removed too early the previous year, weakening the bulb and affecting flowering this year. Squirrels will steal the bulbs. Irises are toxic to rabbits. Bearded irises can reach sizable heights and may fall over in the wind. Taller types should be planted in a sheltered position and you can even stake irises individually with a cane. It could be rhizome rot.
But also look out for underwatering during a drought, particularly for irises in pots. And for waterlogged soil or compost — irises will not enjoy soggy conditions. Wet weather or damp and humid conditions can cause rot.
When storing bulbs and rhizomes, ensure they are somewhere dark, dry and cool. Irises are perennial and will return year after year, making them excellent value for money. Yes, irises spread and can be lifted and divided every three to five years. Bearded irises in particular needs full sun to flower and do not like to be shaded or crowded by other plants, but some Iris reticulata and Iris histrioides are happy in part shade.
Before planting, check for any soft spots, any slimy spots and also give it a sniff to check for a bad smell. If they are hard, dry and smell fine, then all is well. Fertilizers high in nitrogen tend to cause bacterial rot and lush-but-weak foliage growth. When selecting fertilizers for irises, be sure that the 2nd and 3rd numbers are bigger than the 1st.
These numbers stand for the amounts of phosphorus and potassium in the mixture. Phosphorus and potassium are the key nutrients in root and bloom production. Another dose of fertilizer at half strength after fall dividing and planting will slow release throughout the winter and early spring.
Though fertilizing can only help, it is certainly not necessary for growing a garden of beautiful irises. General care — Over time, iris clumps will become crowded and bloom will suffer.
In late summer simply lift the entire clump with a garden fork. The center rhizome, although the largest, will not bloom a second time, so send it to the compost pile.
Sometimes you will see new buds coming off the center rhizome. In that case you can replant as before. Irises do not like competition from weeds. Keep your beds neat and clean to allow the sun and air to keep the rhizome dry and happy. Recommended: 7 Tips for the New Veggie Gardener. The iris borer life cycle begins with eggs laid by the borer moth in leaf litter at the base of the plant.
Cleanup will keep those eggs from hatching and sending little borers into the rhizomes. Rarely will the borers kill the iris, but they will make them less productive. Remember that bearded iris are drought tolerant! Watering is necessary only under the most severe droughts.
Avoid watering otherwise. Finally, enjoy your iris. They will produce dramatic, beautiful blooms with minimal care and outstanding blooms with just a little more.
What is called the Dutch Iris, a slender flower with slender leavers, was originally cultivated in Spain. Dutch iris iris hollandica have orchid-like flowers with silky petals and bloom later than bearded iris. Flower colors range from pale blue and lemon through deep purple, bronze, rose and gold. Dutch iris are popular with floral designers because they are dramatic, long-lasting and easy to arrange in a vase. Unlike other types of iris that grow from thickened roots called rhizomes, Dutch iris grow from teardrop-shaped bulbs that are planted in fall.
When to plant: For best results, plant the Dutch iris bulbs in the fall, within a month after receiving them.
Like most bulbs, Dutch iris look best when they are planted in large groups. For an impressive show, plant about a dozen bulbs per square foot. When growing conditions are ideal, Dutch iris will come back to bloom a second year. In practice, most gardeners treat these bulbs as annuals and plant fresh bulbs each fall. In warm climates, the bulbs may begin to produce foliage in late fall and early winter.
Flowers will follow in spring. In colder areas you will not see any foliage until spring. Feel free to cut the flowers for bouquets. This will not harm the bulbs. To get a second season of blooms, remove the spent iris flowers, leaving behind as much of the stem and foliage as possible. Allow the remaining foliage to continue growing until it withers and yellows. During the summer months, while the bulbs are dormant, the soil should be kept quite dry.
In areas with wet summers, you can dig up your Dutch iris bulbs after the leaves have yellowed. Store the dry bulbs in a dark, cool place and replant them the next fall.
In many ways the English Iris, also known as I. With rather stiff swordlike leaves, it can be naturalized in meadows. As might be expected with an iris with so many names, its bloodlines are a little mixed.
An advantage over the bearded iris, the English iris blooms later in the year, flowering in June and July. BlomsBulbs sells a mixture of what it called English iris iris latifolia bulbs that includes purple, white, blue and speckled iris. Japanese Iris. This stunning iris variety blooms in early summer, about a month after the bearded varieties, and loves to be in moist conditions.
They do very well near water this is where they naturally grow or where the water table is high. They like the soil to be acidic and do not like to be dried out. The modern hybrids that are now available have very large up to 7. Japanese hybridizers have worked with them for over years.
Siberian Iris. Naturalize your garden with Siberian Iris. These easy-to-grow iris are smaller and more delicate than the large statement flowers. They bloom late spring to early summer which is the perfect time when you need some color before the annuals start to bloom.
Blue Diamond Dutch Iris. Grow your own spring flower arrangement with a Dutch Iris. This easy-to-grow Iris grows from a bulb not rhizome and can be planted in both fall and spring.
These Iris can be grown in sun or particial shade and are hardy from Zone 3 — 9. So which will you choose? Planting Iris this fall will bring easy color and beauty to your garden next spring and early summer!
Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article. Your email address will not be published.
Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Plant an Iris when you are looking for a showy flower to add to your garden! Irises come in three forms, rhizome, bulb or root.
0コメント