Why irises may not bloom, what to do if leaves alone, causes and treatment
Blooming iris is a great decoration for any flower bed. Some gardeners in the process of growing this flower are faced with the fact that it stops blooming. To get rid of this problem, you need to figure out why irises do not bloom and what to do if the bushes have only leaves and no flowers.
Irises do not bloom: reasons
There are several reasons why Siberian iris may not bloom. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself in more detail with the common causes of flowering problems.
Landing errors
Most often, flowers do not bloom due to improper planting. Many inexperienced gardeners plant seed in holes that are too deep. Because of this, plants will not only bloom worse, but also grow more slowly.
Checking that the plant is planted correctly is fairly easy. To do this, you must carefully examine the root collar. If it is dug into the ground by only a third, then the flowers are planted shallow. When the neck is in the soil, it lacks sunlight, which negatively affects growth. In this case, you will have to dig out the seedlings and transplant. In this case, they must be dug out carefully so as not to damage the root system.
Wrong place
The growth and flowering of plants is influenced by the place where they are grown. Therefore, experienced florists recommend taking seriously the choice of a site for planting irises.
These are light-loving plants that must be planted in well-lit areas. Without enough sunlight, the plant will grow slowly and bloom poorly. To solve the problem with poor lighting, the irises will have to be transplanted to another place. It is better to transplant in early August or late July. This is the most favorable period for planting crops. They are transplanted to open areas that are not shaded by buildings, trees or tall bushes.
Lack of food
Any plant needs periodic feeding, and irises are no exception. These flowers can develop fully only with regular fertilization of the soil. If you do not feed the planted flowers, they will bloom worse. Fertilization is carried out three times per season. The first two times the crops are fed before flowering, and the third time after.
There are several signs of nutritional deficiencies:
- fallen buds;
- slow stem growth;
- curling and drying of the leaves;
- slow root development.
If it turns out that irises are not blooming due to a lack of fertilizers, you should immediately add mineral and organic fertilizers to the flower bed.
Improper watering
Some growers believe that irises do not need to be watered as they cope well with drought. However, without regular watering, they do not bloom, since with a lack of moisture, root growth worsens, and the formation of buds stops.
Also, blooming is negatively affected by excess soil moisture, which rises due to too frequent watering. Wet soil contributes to the development of rotting of the root system. Therefore, during irrigation, it is recommended to monitor the condition of the soil.
If the flowers have already suffered due to lack of moisture, it is recommended to fill them with water several times.
Overgrowth of the root system
A characteristic feature of irises is that their root system grows rapidly. The roots of seedlings that are planted too close to each other become cramped and they develop more slowly. This slows down the development of the stem and stops flowering. In addition, due to the tightness of the seedlings, immunity weakens, and they are more likely to get sick and are attacked by pests.
To solve this problem, the planted iris bushes are planted in new places every 4-6 years. At the same time, they must be planted in more spacious flower beds so that neighboring plants do not interfere with the planted irises.
Winter damage
There are times when irises stop blooming after a harsh and frosty winter. Most often this happens if, in the fall, you do not cover the flower bed with a covering material that protects the seedlings from low temperatures. The consequences of an unsuccessful wintering are difficult to notice, since they do not appear immediately. The plant develops normally at first, but over time you will notice that flower buds are not forming on them.
In order to timely identify damaged plants, it is necessary to carefully examine their stems and leaves, on which dark spots may appear. All damaged areas of flowers will have to be cut off with a knife.
Diseases or pests
Another common cause of poor flowering is the attack of pests and the appearance of diseases. Most often, diseases appear after the weakening of plant immunity, which is observed after winter freezing of the roots or because of thickened plantings.
In order to determine the symptoms of a particular pathology in time, it is necessary to regularly conduct a visual inspection of the flowers. Yellowing of the leaves indicates the presence of diseases such as dry rot, fusarium, rust and spotting. To prevent the development of diseases, plants are periodically treated with fungicidal solutions.
Unfavorable weather
Sometimes flowering stops due to unfavorable weather conditions. Irises do not bloom in high humidity when it rains frequently. Also, problems with flowering arise with sudden changes in temperature.
How to properly care for?
In order for irises to bloom normally, you need to properly care for them.
Watering
It's no secret that irises should be watered periodically so that they don't dry out. Particular attention is paid to moisture in dry weather, when the soil dries out quickly. On such days, it is watered every two days. Watering irises every day is contraindicated, since due to excessive moisture, the root system accumulates too much water, which negatively affects the wintering of plants.
When watering, they use heated and settled water. It is poured under the root of the flowers so that the liquid does not fall on their leaves.
Pruning
Pruning of irises is carried out after the flowers have completely dried. To carry out this procedure, use special garden shears. First, the inflorescence is removed, after which the flowering shoot is cut off.After pruning, a cut stem 1-2 centimeters high should remain above the surface of the ground.
Some do pruning during flowering, but this cannot be done. At this time, the plant is actively accumulating nutrients for further wintering.
Top dressing
When feeding irises, they use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which stimulate the growth of flower buds. To prepare a feeding solution, 20 grams of phosphorus and potassium are added to five liters of water. The prepared mixture is enough for watering 4-5 bushes.
Experienced growers do not advise fertilizing flowers with manure, as root rot may appear due to it. It is also necessary to add less nitrogen fertilizing, due to which the growth of buds worsens. If irises are grown in acidic soil, the area is periodically watered with lime mixture or wood ash.
How to stimulate plant flowering?
In order for a flower to bloom accurately in autumn or summer, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of stimulating the process.
It is known that irises rarely bloom in unfavorable conditions. Therefore, to stimulate the appearance of buds, care must be taken to ensure that the plant has enough nutrients and moisture. Irises need to be watered periodically and fed with fertilizers. You should also take care of the lighting of the flowers and transplant them to an area that is constantly illuminated by the sun's rays.
Conclusion
Gardeners sometimes have to deal with poor flowering of planted irises. To get rid of this problem, you need to familiarize yourself with the reasons for its appearance and the features of stimulating flowering.
