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Perhaps, irises can be attributed to those plants that are most often found on flower beds. Firstly, they are not particularly whimsical in their care and are able to grow in almost any land, and secondly, how can one not love these large "cockerels" of very different colors? White, yellow, purple, blue - you can enumerate their colors endlessly.
These amazing flowers will not bring hardship to the dacha, but that every year they blossom as abundantly, still a little attention to them will not hurt. In particular, this applies to feeding, because during the vegetative period the stocks of nutrients in the rhizome are exhausted. And it turns out that next year instead of a lush bouquet on a large adult bush only a few blossoms blossom.
To avoid such a situation, irises need to be fed in a timely manner. For the entire period of vegetation, plants are fertilized three times, and twice of them fall at the most critical time - spring. When exactly is this done and how to fertilize irises in the spring?
Dates of spring top dressing of irises
Spring top dressing of irises should be carried out in two stages:
- in the beginning of March, immediately after the snow melts in the flower bed and the earth dries a little;
- approximately in May, when buds are formed and flowering begins (the dates may differ depending on the growing region).
What fertilizers are needed in the spring?
In the early spring, irises, like other vegetation representatives, need nitrogen in order to quickly build a powerful overground part. In addition, they need potassium and phosphorus for the future flowering. Thus, for the first fertilizing of irises you can use:
- ammonium nitrate;
- potassium sulphate.
For each square meter of planting, at least 20 g of each preparation will be needed.
Fertilizers in dry form must be spread around the bush and the chopping loosened the soil. If the land is too dry, water the irises. The second fertilizing at the beginning of flowering is carried out with the same fertilizer as for the first time.
Can I use organic chemistry?
Since organic fertilizers contain a large amount of nitrogen, they are also used for dressing flowers. But in the case of irises you should be careful. From the introduction of manure is better to refuse, because often after such treatment, their roots begin to rot, and irises themselves become easy prey for various diseases and pests.
But compost for irises - it's very good, if not overdo it with quantity. It is enough to bring a couple of handfuls under each bush and a little bit into the soil. He will give irises the necessary substances, and also improve the structure of the soil.
