How to Plant Irises? The Latest Cultivation Techniques, Methods and Tutorial Highlights
Iris is a perennial herbaceous plant in the iris family (Iridaceae) and a common flower in China, with a very wide distribution across the central and southern parts of the country. Iris not only has extremely high ornamental value, but its rhizome can also be used to reduce inflammation, and it can even be made into perfume, so its economic value is very high. So how should irises be planted? Below, the editor brings you the key points of iris cultivation techniques. Let's take a look!
1. Soil Selection
There are many ways to plant irises; they can be grown not only in greenhouses but also in open fields. The growth ability of irises is actually quite strong, and under normal circumstances they can be planted in most soils. However, a good soil structure must also be ensured, such as good drainage and irrigation, strong water and fertilizer retention capacity, and resistance to compaction, which are basic conditions for long-term large-scale iris cultivation. Before planting, we can add an appropriate amount of peat, coarse sand and other materials to the soil to improve it and promote iris growth.
2. Propagation Methods
The flowering period of irises is in spring each year, lasting about 3 months. Generally, division or sowing is carried out in May, and division can also be done in autumn, with division carried out after about 3 years of planting. When cutting the rhizomes, we must ensure that each rhizome piece has at least two adventitious buds to increase the rooting and sprouting rate. If sowing propagation is used, then the seeds should be sown promptly after the iris seeds mature. Seedlings grown from seed need at least two years to flower; when planting, the plant and row spacing should be controlled at about 50 cm, with a planting depth of 7 cm, to ensure the growth of the seedlings.
3. Water and Fertilizer Management
When planting irises, pay attention to controlling the amount of watering, keeping the soil moist. The planting plot must have a good drainage and irrigation system, so that drainage is easy during the rainy season or when water accumulates. Irises are different from other crops: base fertilizer should not be applied before planting, because it easily raises soil salinity and slows down the growth rate of iris roots. Before topdressing, we should test the soil and formulate accordingly, measuring which nutrients the soil lacks so that the corresponding nutrients can be supplemented during topdressing. Note that when fertilizing, we should avoid using fertilizers containing fluorine, otherwise it can easily cause the death of irises.
4. Disease Control
Disease control is an indispensable management measure when planting irises. Common iris diseases include bulb rot, crown rot and so on. When planting, we should strengthen management, control the temperature and humidity in the field, and disinfect seeds and bulbs before planting, etc., to reduce the base number of pathogens in the garden and ensure normal iris growth. When abnormal conditions occur in irises, the cause must be identified promptly, and then corresponding agents and treatment methods should be used for control, to reduce the affected area and lower losses.
The above is a brief introduction to the key points of iris cultivation techniques. Iris cultivation is actually quite simple; during cultivation, doing the basic management work well will allow irises to grow normally. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help you!