Irises are one of the most popular flowers in summer cottages, which, with proper care, can become its real decoration. In this article we will talk about pruning flowering plants, which, along with standard agrotechnical measures, directly affects the speed and abundance of flowering, life expectancy and decorative qualities of this crop.

Do I need to crop irises

Irises are perennial plants, but in order to please the gardeners with the abundance and splendor of their flowering every year, you will have to pay due attention to the pruning process.

Did you know? In the old days, Western Slavs called irises "perunik", believing that they grow where the lightning of the god of thunder Perun fell.

This procedure is no less important at the end of autumn, as the final stage in preparing the flower garden for winter, although in general several deletions of the aerial parts of the plant are performed in one warm season:

• in case of yellowing and staining of sheets;
• at the end of the flowering period;
• in late autumn or before the first winter frosts.

In addition, individual pruning of these flowers may need additional pruning, which bloom longer than others and react sharply to changes in environmental factors, which is manifested in excessive yellowing of the leaves and wilting flower buds. Of course, in each of these cases there are individual terms and features of plant pruning, not to mention further care.

When to cut

Usually, the removal or shortening of individual parts of irises is performed before transplanting or propagating the flower, with almost complete cutting of the leaf plates (only 1/3 of their length remains). Such a measure helps to keep water in the roots and promotes better survival of the plant in a new place, but it is best to prune it in the evening, when the sun is not so much baking.

It is customary to cut iris leaf plates 2-3 days before the intended transplant, but it is strongly discouraged to touch them during the flowering period. It will be possible to remove all excess parts no earlier than in 21 days, after waiting for the restoration of the strength of the iris.

Video: cropping irises

No less important is pruning during the ripening period of the plant seeds, when the flowers themselves already wither. In this case, all peduncles are subject to pruning, with the exception of the one you want to leave for propagating the crop. If we are talking about varieties with enhanced decorative qualities, the buds are removed, trying not to touch the “fresh” flower. For example, a smelly iris forms beautiful orange seeds, almost as attractive as the black filling of Belamkand's iris.

Pruning rules

The first rule of pruning flowers is to use a sharp and sanitized tool, the role of which can be sharpened garden shears. For the first time, they cut a wilted bud and a small area of ​​a peduncle (up to 5 cm), and the rest of it should be cut after it fades at a height of about two centimeters from the soil line.

Important! Trimming should be done only until the temperature drops. If the temperature is close to zero or minus values ​​are already relevant, you should not touch the plants, otherwise a successful wintering will be a problem for them.

There are peculiarities in the case of leaf pruning, in preparing the culture for the winter season, but each variety of culture has its own:

• in rhizome irises, cutting of wilted and dried leaf plates is performed only when absolutely necessary;
• exotic species allow half removal of foliage, but only in late August or early September;
• in bulbous irises before wintering, you can completely cut off the leaves, and together with the stem (tops).

Further care

Pruning is far from the only important event in the cultivation of irises, but after its completion the flowers need more attention from the grower. First of all, this concerns the regularity and abundance of irrigation and fertilizer, which in this case will have their own characteristics.

Feeding and watering

After flowering and pruning associated with this, the crop does not need frequent moistening of the soil, therefore, even in dry autumn weather, two waterings for the whole fall will be enough, and if it is wet outside, additional liquid application is generally excluded.

Did you know? From the roots of irises, laxatives and medicines for diabetes and respiratory diseases are made, while the essential oils of the plant are used by both folk and traditional medicine.

The moistened substrate around the central part of the bushes periodically needs to be loosened to a depth of 2 cm, with the simultaneous removal of all weeds. Given the close proximity to the surface of the root branches, this procedure should be carried out extremely carefully.

Approximately 2 weeks after removal of the peduncles, irises can be fertilized using superphosphate fertilizers and any potassium salts (organic mixtures are poorly perceived by flowers and can cause yellowing of their individual parts).If an early, long and very harsh winter is expected, it is better to introduce nutrient mixtures before pruning so that in the future they will contribute to the rapid healing of wounds and the restoration of the flower.

Shelter for the winter

Snowless winters and low temperature indicators in many regions of Russia can lead to freezing even of frost-resistant varieties of iris, therefore, in order to prevent undesirable consequences, it is important to properly prepare the flowers for the cold season, focusing on its features in each specific area.

In outskirts of Moscow

In the regions of the Middle Strip, winters are usually not too cold, but for plants transplanted in summer and moderately low temperatures can become fatal. Shelter will help protect them from freezing with a layer of dry earth and pine branches, however, the latter are placed above the cut flowers, after the temperature drops to -1 ° C.

Old flowers with bulging rhizomes also need to be hidden under a thick layer of earth, peat or sand, and only then be warmed with spruce branches 10-15 cm high. With the arrival of steady spring heat, shelter can be opened, but not before the sharp fluctuations between daytime and nighttime temperatures disappear.

If the shelter organization is too early or its removal is too late, the roots of the flowers may warp, which later threatens their death. Therefore, it is recommended to close plants with spruce branches or other covering material only after setting minus temperature values ​​on the street.

In Siberia

Nand the territories of Siberia are usually much cooler than in the middle zone of the Russian Federation, therefore even frost-resistant varieties of irises need winter shelter. At the same time, it is very important that it always remains dry inside, which means that the lapnik or other used protective material should be additionally covered with a bucket or a wooden box: by delaying snow, they will contribute to additional insulation during severe frosts.

In the Urals

Ural winters often turn out to be fatal for most flower crops, and heat-loving varieties are not always helped by the usual shelter with natural materials. Alternatively, you can throw it on an inverted box so that the snow falls already on the surface of the matter. In an extreme case, heat-loving varieties can always be dug up and placed in a dry place, wrapping each onion with paper in advance and sprinkling it with peat or sand.To protect the irises, it is worth using artificial durable fabrics, for example, in the form of spunbond, which is covered with spruce branches or immediately trimmed plants.

Disease and Pest Prevention

Irises are not deprived of the attention of many garden pests, and diseases are a frequent problem of a gardener, therefore, to increase your chances of successfully growing these flowers, you should know about some preventive measures:

• to prevent the invasion of slugs that are activated in early summer, it is recommended that the soil around the outlets be treated with superphosphate, simply sprinkling it under iris bushes;
• timely cutting of the affected parts and processing of the cutting sites with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate will help prevent the spread of root rot;
• if, deciding to thin out the culture, you notice leaves covered with rusty or dark spots, they should immediately be burned, and the remaining plant should be sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture - for prophylactic purposes a one percent composition is sufficient, while a three percent mixture is required to treat the culture;
• in the case of gray areas with moist bordering on the leaves, the development of heterosporiosis can be suspected, fungicidal preparations containing copper and zinc will help to get rid of them (the dosage and rules for using such substances are always indicated on the package);
• To protect the iris plantations from aphids, thrips, wireworms and winter scoops, any systemic insecticides (for example, “Confidor Maxi”) will be appropriate, and they should be processed several times a season (when using a half dosage from the packaging indicated, flowers can be sprayed and for prevention, especially if pests have already been noticed at a particular site).

Other preventive measures include regular inspection and treatment of plants with a fungicide solution, especially with high humidity in summer and autumn (at least once every 10-14 days). If possible, it is worth adding insecticides to the finished working composition, which can increase the resistance of plants to pests.

Important! It is better to use chemical compounds in the early morning or evening hours at an air temperature above + 20 ° C.

When deciding whether to cut irises completely or if only faded flower stalks should be cut, always consider the variety of your flower. It is likely that it is enough just to occasionally trim the plant, in particular, before wintering or immediately after flowering, ensuring the preservation of decorativeness.