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Irises are considered one of the most unpretentious flowering crops. To achieve abundant and long flowering, you need to properly prepare the plants for wintering. Today we will tell you how irises are prepared for winter in various climatic zones.
Features of trimming
Irises, which are affectionately called irises or cockerels among the people, attract attention with a variety of shapes and colors. In nature, there are more than 700 varieties of this decorative culture. Irises quickly and easily adapt to different climatic zones if they are properly cared for.
Autumn care for flowering crops includes water-charging watering. Moisturizing the soil is necessary if the weather is dry and hot. With an abundance of precipitation in autumn, it is recommended to refuse to moisten the soil. Excess moisture in the soil can lead to root rot.
Shrub pruning plays an important role in the care of irises. Pruning refers to the removal of a withered or dried bud from a flowering plant. Failure to comply with the technology and timing of this procedure can lead to a weakening of the flower, including a decrease in its winter hardiness.
Pruning of irises is carried out at the end of the flowering peak. This procedure consists of several stages:
- At the end of flowering, you need to pinch off with your fingers or cut off the upper part of the flower, which is located immediately behind the bud, with a garden pruner. Please note that not only the withering / drying part of the peduncle should be removed, but also the green receptacle. Incorrect pruning will cause a new ovule to appear in place of the green receptacle.
- Check bud opening daily. Flowers that have not yet fully opened or are in the active flowering stage are not removed.
- After flowering, cut off all flower stems. The stem is cut off almost at the very base – at a distance of 2–2,5 cm from the rhizome. Do not remove flower stalks and stems from those plants that bloom several times per season. For example, a bearded iris throws out buds twice.
- The iris uses the leaves to feed the root system, so don’t rush to cut them off. Dried and withered leaf tips are cut off in mid-autumn.
Pruning and preparing irises for winter depends on the varietal characteristics of the plant and the climate of the growing region.
Video: “Preparation of irises for winter”
From this video you will learn how to prepare flowering crops for the upcoming frosts.
Aftercare
10–14 days after pruning the flower stalks, garden plants are fed. According to experienced flower growers, iris does not tolerate organic soil fertilizer. Therefore, to feed this ornamental crop, it is better to use superphosphates and any potassium salts. If winter is expected to be early, long and very harsh, it is better to feed garden ornamental crops before pruning. Plants need time to heal wounds and recover.
Landing and transplant
Autumn planting and transplanting iris helps to improve the development and flowering of the crop. When choosing a place for planting, it is recommended to take a closer look at areas of the garden that are open to the sun. This flower culture is afraid of drafts and excess moisture.
Bulbs need to be transplanted in dry and sunny weather. If the autumn turned out to be cold and damp, it is better not to risk it and postpone planting until spring. Bulbs planted in open ground should have time to take root and adapt to new growing conditions before the first frost. In the Leningrad region and in the regions of central Our Country, one should be guided by the weather forecast, since sharp changes in air temperature are not uncommon here.
Shelter before frost
Often from beginner gardeners you can hear the question, is it necessary to cover irises for the winter. Let’s figure out how to properly cover irises in order to achieve abundant flowering next year.
The technology of sheltering irises for the winter depends on the varietal characteristics of the crop being grown. Most domestic varieties are adapted to the harsh and sometimes very changeable climate of Our Country. Siberian, yellow, bristly, marsh and oriental irises winter best. The most delicate, fragile and unstable are tall varieties of bearded iris, Dutch, Spanish and Japanese bulbous crops. Nameless, comb and lake irises require more thorough shelter for the winter, as they are characterized by poor frost resistance.
Most irises of domestic selection cope well with heavy snowfalls and harsh winters. The period of climate change or a sharp warming in the middle of winter is considered more dangerous. Young seedlings and plants transplanted in summer or autumn must be covered for the winter. Also, flowers weakened after illness or insect invasions need additional warming. Old irises, in which the rhizomes have grown so much that they can be seen almost on the very surface of the earth, need to be mulched with peat, dry sand, tree bark, spruce twigs and fallen leaves. For mulching flowering crops, you should take a material that does not absorb moisture.
According to the reviews of experienced gardeners, it keeps heat well, does not absorb excess moisture and promotes air circulation with fallen oak leaves. The mulch layer should be no more than 10 cm. Otherwise, the root system will rot.
Varieties of irises that are unstable to frost and sudden changes in temperature are covered with pine spruce branches or any non-woven material. Make sure that moisture does not accumulate inside, and the plants can “breathe”.
Landmark for geography
The approach to warming flowering garden plants depends on the climatic features of the growing region. The southern strip of Our Country, where winters are mild and warm, is considered the most favorable region for the cultivation of delicate and fragile ornamental plants. Growing in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Kuban and in the Crimea, irises do not insulate for the winter. For a successful wintering, it is recommended to mulch the soil with peat, dry sand and fallen leaves.
Despite the absence of severe frosts in winter, the Moscow region is characterized by frequent temperature fluctuations. To protect flowering plants in the garden, protective frame structures are constructed. As for the wintering of irises in the Urals and in the Siberian region, it is worth taking care of more reliable warming of plants. Flowers are mulched, covered with breathable non-woven fabric and pine branches. With the advent of spring, do not rush to open the irises.