The iris, often referred to as the iris, is a genus of plants that occurs in various subspecies in the wilds of Central European natural landscapes. The frugal plants can also cope with rather poor soils and are grateful bloomers if you follow a few care instructions.
How do I care for irises in the garden?
To successfully cultivate irises in the garden, they need a warm, sunny location, loose soil and enough space to spread out. Propagate the plant by dividing the rhizomes and combining different growth and flower forms for a colorful sea of flowers.
Choosing the right location for the iris
Basically, the iris is relatively easy to get to flower, even for garden beginners, as it requires little to no fertilization and reproduces constantly without much effort. However, when choosing a location, you should make sure that the iris needs the following factors to thrive:
- a warm, sunny spot
- a surface that is as loose as possible
- enough space to spread out
The iris reproduces not only through the seeds that ripen on the withered inflorescences, but also through the growth of the underground rhizome. That's why you should choose a bed for the iris that also has some space for it to spread.
Digging up and dividing the rhizomes: propagation and rejuvenation
With some types of iris, a circle of leaves and flowers can form around the originally planted area. Then you can't just cut the iris to shape like other plants if you want to remove the bald spot. Rather, you should carefully dig up the entire rhizome after flowering and divide it. Place the young side shoots back into the loosened soil at least 40 centimeters apart and compost the old rhizome part from the middle.
Provide a sea of flowers all year round
The exact flowering time of irises has a certain connection to the height of the leaves and flowers in many species. Combine species of different heights with different flower colors to enjoy a long-lasting sea of colors in the garden from spring to late summer.
Tips & Tricks
The different growth heights of various iris species can be particularly beautifully showcased in a garden bed if you model the summer sea of flowers like a landscape. For example, let the height increase from the front to the back of the bed by planting the lower-growing species on the side facing the viewer.
