Why don't irises bloom? How many gardeners - so many opinions on this issue. Therefore, it should not be surprising that every gardener finds his own reasons for the lack of flowering in irises. On the most basic of them, let's try to stop our attention a little longer. So, why do irises still not bloom and what needs to be done for their normal development and flowering?
- Wrong timing for transplanting irises. The best time to transplant them is 2 weeks after the end of flowering.
- The wrong place for growing irises has been chosen. Due to the high demand for heat of modern varieties, irises must be planted in the sunniest place, it is highly desirable that it be a southwestern, southeastern or southern slope.
It should be remembered that in dry periods, when the plants do not have enough water, they are demanding on moisture only until the flowering period, and then the plants practically do not need watering. And in wet places for irises, it is desirable to plant on raised beds.
- The ratio of irises to soil. Bearded irises (unlike Siberian ones) do not tolerate acidic soils at all. With increased acidity of the soil, they grow well, but do not bloom. Therefore, liming of the soil should be carried out in 2–3 months. To adjust the acidity of the soil, you can use lime, wood ash, chalk, dolomite flour.
And for Siberian irises, acidic soil is suitable. In oily clay soils, it is necessary to add more coarse sand.
- Incorrect planting depth. It should be shallow, but at the same time, and not open the roots.
To do this, in the hole, the garden soil is mixed with fertilizers and coarse sand, a mound is formed, the top of which should go almost flush with the surface of the earth. On the mound, you need to put a little bit, spread the roots along it, cover a little more than half with earth, and on top with sand, or pebbles. To compact and water the ground around the irises.
After planting, the root collar should be in the open air by a third, not covered with earth. Otherwise, the plant will still be able to somehow develop, but flowering will be postponed indefinitely. When planting, the fan of leaves must be directed to the north, and the rhizome to the south, so that it is illuminated during daylight hours.
- Irises do not bloom due to lack of light. Moreover, in the shade, they can easily become infected with powdery mildew. Therefore, for them it is necessary to find a place illuminated by the sun for at least the entire first half of the day.
When planting, it is necessary to observe the distance between tall plants 40-50 cm, between undersized plants - 30 cm. For the flowering of irises, it is important to have 5-7 leaves on a fan.
- Irises need to be divided and replanted every 3 years. For this, the rhizomes of the irises are dug out, the soil is slightly shaken off, divided into parts so that in each division there is a fleshy rhizome and a fan of leaves. Each cut must be greased with brilliant green, sprinkled with crushed coal and allowed to dry. Then lightly prune thin roots and two-thirds of the leaves of the fan.
- The planting is very thickened. Tightness is not about irises. Plants quickly begin to release leaves and take over the surrounding area. Within a few years, the flowers are so close to each other that they have no opportunity to release peduncles. Therefore, dividing old bushes every 4–5 years is the only way out of this situation.
- Excess moisture and nutrients. Irises should be watered within 2-3 weeks after planting, during budding and during drought. Excess moisture can cause the rhizome to rot.
Excessive feeding will also not be beneficial. In this case, the leaves will begin to grow vigorously to the detriment of the formation of peduncles. Do not fertilize them with manure or mullein infusion. Better infusion of nettle, solution of calcium or potassium nitrate (1 tbsp. Spoon of each in a bucket of water). Top dressing should be applied only in the front part, because.from the side of the neck, the plant has no sucking roots.
- Plant wintering conditions are not met. In cold winters with little snow, flower buds can freeze in plants, this is especially true for bearded irises. Therefore, in the fall, when the temperature drops to + 3 ° C, the irises must be cut off and covered with dry soil, humus, straw, sawdust, and leaves. Covering plants early can cause damping. And if done too late, then the irises may not bloom.
In the spring, after thawing the soil, the mulch must be loosened to allow air to reach the roots. And when the threat of frost has passed, the shelter must be carefully removed and the rhizomes exposed so that they bask in the sun. The sun's rays stimulate growth processes and activate flowering.
- Adaptation of varieties to our climate. Iris planting material grown in climates similar to yours should develop and bloom without problems. And the material of a more southern origin, often imported from the Netherlands, will require adaptation, since there is a possibility of obtaining non-flowering specimens.
- Rhizome rot. It also happens that irises stop blooming due to rhizome rot. This is easy to fix. To do this, in August, dig an iris bush, cut out the rotten part in the rhizome, treat the cut with a strong solution of potassium permanganate and plant again without deepening.
As you can see, this is not a complete list of reasons why irises do not bloom. So if your favorite irises aren't blooming, first figure out why they feel so bad in your garden before taking drastic measures.
"Ural gardener", No. 33, 2018
