Iris maintenance

 Irises are beautiful perennial flowers, which serve as an eye-catching addition to your garden and work great for floral arrangements. Here are some tips for iris flower care that will let you enjoy the beautiful blooms for years to come.

General information

The iris is a perennial flower that bears the name of the Goddess of love in Greek mythology.

It is said that this Goddess used to transmit love messages, which is why the iris is a symbol of communication. This plant makes very attractive and showy flowers that are suitable both to decorate gardens and for bouquets. It belongs to the Iridaceae family and it is native from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Depending on their color, the irises have different meanings. For example, yellow iris is an expression of passion, while white suggests purity. Purple iris flower, which is the most popular of all, symbolize compliments and wisdom.

The name iris comes from the Greek vocabulary and it means rainbow. This is because the colors of this flower can be red, blue, purple, yellow, white, black, orange and pink. There are around two hundred species of iris all around the world. Professional people have divided these species into two main categories: bulbous and rhizomes iris. This means that they can be grown from bulbs or rhizomes. Siberian and Bearded are two of the most popular species. Depending on the type of iris, they can bloom in February, March, April or May.

How to care for irises

Here are a few tips that can help any gardener grow iris flowers.

  •  Prepare the soil

The first thing you have to do is to choose a suitable location to plant your irises. It is to be noticed that they love sunlight, so make sure that they receive it for about six or eight hours per day. Also, it is advisable to that the place have a good air ventilation. Fertilize the soil where you intend to plant your iris flowers using organic compost. Do this job two weeks before planting. Mix the compost with the soil using a tiller. This way you will also break it (the soil) and you will remove any rock you can see.

  •   Plant the iris flower

Make a hole in the soil having a cone shape in its lowest part in order to let the rhizome come out to the surface. Make sure that the iris rhizome fits into the hole. After you finish digging the hole, put the rhizome in it, spreading very well the roots. Cover the hole with soil and water it immediately. This way you will avoid any air pokes occur into the soil. Irises develop large roots, so make sure there are around eight inches or more between each rhizome.

  • Watering

Irises do not thrive in wet soils. They need water three times a week before starting to grow. When you see the plant getting up to the surface of the soil, water your flowers only two times per week. Make sure you do not exaggerate with water; just let the soil get dry slowly between watering. During wintertime water your iris flower once per week and only if it does not rain.

  •  Fertilization

In order to thrive in your garden, irises need fertilization. During spring and summer, fertilize the plants one time per month and water them to help the fertilizer get into the soil. Do not use fertilizers in winter and fall because this will cause root burning.

  •  Mulching

Before winter frost, you have to put mulch around your irises. This will help the temperature of the soil remain constant. Temperature fluctuation can affect your plants and even kill them.

  •  Maintenance

When the flower withers, you have to cut the stalk of the flower back in order to stop the plant producing seeds instead of growing. To make sure that you keep the insects and diseases away from your irises, cut the leaves to six or eight inches above the ground. If the rhizomes get out of the soil, do not push them back. Just add a layer of soil over them.

  •  Divide

If your beaded irises become crowded, divide them every three or five years. Do this procedure only four or six weeks after blooming. In order to do this, cut the leaves to one-third their length and make a hole until you see the rhizomes. Clear the soil on the rhizomes and roots using pure water. Cut the rhizomes apart to divide them. Make sure that every piece presents white and healthy roots, a firm rhizome and at least two leaves.

Iris flowers are very attractive and can make any garden or bouquet look absolutely amazing. More than that, they are very easy to grow, do not require too much maintenance and can be very easily multiplied. Decorate your garden with this flower that symbolizes hope and faith to make your life more beautiful!

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