Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Iris => Topic started by: BULBISSIME on November 04, 2009, 07:53:52 PM
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Who is growing this species ? and How ??? ???
I've really no success with it since many years, although having no problem with many others.
As it's really a splendid plant, I'd like to get it into flower... :(
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Fred,
I grow it.
Do you want it to grow in pots, bulb frame or outside?
Hendrik
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Hello Hendrick,
at the moment, I grow it in pot, in a bulb frame like many other species but it does'nt grow well, never flowers and stay very small >:(
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Hello Fred,
Indeed, looks very miserable.
Looks what's possible in a pot!
Sorry that I make you jealousy, but I will contact you again as soon as possible (next week) with more information.
Hendrik
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Sorry, have take a wrong picture
Hendrik
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Thank you Hendrick !!
I've just posted in onco topic ;D
your plants looks gorgeous !!!
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Hi Fred - this is also for me one of the species which cause some trouble.
I think the problem I have/had with it are to hot temperatures and to dry soil in summer. Rhizomes are quite small and so they tend to dry out to excessively - a problem which seems to be easier controlable in central europe. Now I have planted the plants in the shadow (north of a wall where my other "northern" Oncos grow - until now they seem to like it, the leaves are allready up to 15 cm long (what does not cause any problems here as light intensity is high and will get any frost).
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Hi Fred - this is also for me one of the species which cause some trouble.
I think the problem I have/had with it are to hot temperatures and to dry soil in summer. Rhizomes are quite small and so they tend to dry out to excessively - a problem which seems to be easier controlable in central europe. Now I have planted the plants in the shadow (north of a wall where my other "northern" Oncos grow - until now they seem to like it, the leaves are allready up to 15 cm long (what does not cause any problems here as light intensity is high and will get any frost).
I agree completely with you Hans!
This species is more a mountain onco, not a steppe/desert species.
You can see it clearly on my pictures from Turkey: there is a lot of other vegetation around the plant and I can tell you that the soil is really heavy and rich of minerals. Do you agree with me that onco's like a lot of minerals (bonemeal)? Otherwise nitrogen is fatal.
The gorgeous picture with the many flowers is taken nearby a big river; plants grow only 0,5 m above water level!
I think that during heavy rains, the plants must be submerged by water!
Otherwise, even during a dry summer there is always enough capillary water...
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So I will hope to have better results in future with this beautiful plants. :)
Nearly all Oncos grow in mineralic/chalky heavy soil here and cannot say I am dissatisfied with the results using only small quantities of synthetic fertilizers with low nitrogen. Also to high phosphorus concentration seems to be dangerous as it may result in plants which might flower to death - so, as so often: less might be more ;)
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I agree with you Hans, not too much fertilizer !
But you're also right Hendrick, Onco I've seen this spring in Lebanon and Syria grow in a rich soil, even in lava with lots of plants around
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So I will hope to have better results in future with this beautiful plants. :)
Nearly all Oncos grow in mineralic/chalky heavy soil here and cannot say I am dissatisfied with the results using only small quantities of synthetic fertilizers with low nitrogen. Also to high phosphorus concentration seems to be dangerous as it may result in plants which might flower to death - so, as so often: less might be more ;)
Probably I have expressed me wrong.
There is a big difference between cultivation in pot and in open ground (or bulbframe)!
Here in my wet maritime climate I have no other choice than growing this irises in pots in my alpine house. I know, not ideal and really the most difficult method. But it is possible.
Early leave development (even without water!), cloudy weather and sometimes cold winter temperatures (last winter - 17°C) makes bulbframe cultivation even very risky. In my basic soil mixture for pot cultivation I use a organic fertilizer (NPK: 7-6-12 + 4 MgO ) as standard feeding. During and after flowering onco-irises form their new buds; in this period they need really some extra feeding; so I give them 2 or 3 times some liquid feeding; for this purpose I take a fertilizer low in nitrogen (tomato fertilizer). In my soil mixture for onco's I use 1/4 akadama (burned clay pellets from Japan - see Google for more information ); akadama is a fantastic product, but expensive (onco's are too expensive). Akadama is largely used for bonsai, japanese Hepatica's, ...
With akadama I try to fulfil their need for a clayed soil. With Akadama the soil soil is never wet, even not after a gently water gift! Together with grit, coarse sand and a good potting soil (+ chalk) you achieve a very open soil mixture and an excellent rooting medium.
Look at the picture.
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Very interesting discussion folks !!
Learning a lot here !! 8)
Thanks and please don't let me interrupt the discussion ;)
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Very interesting discussion folks !!
Learning a lot here !! 8)
Thanks and please don't let me interrupt the discussion ;)
Sorry Luc, I have to stop the discussion until Sunday evening.
Enjoy another elegantissima from Turkey.
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I agree Luc I too am learning much.
Iris iberica ssp elegantissima is one that I have never flowered and I do think it needs a cooler climate - with snow. The rhizomes haven't died here - just developed into small/tiny clumps. Next week we are expecting record highs all week for November since the late 1800's. Not good as watering is tricky in the garden (not arils) as the soil heats up so much.
Have enjoyed all your photos on the Onco thread and this one Hendrik. So good to see where the different oncos grow.
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Hendrick,
your plants looks very healthy, with nice leaves, not elongated !
Congratulations.
I also grow part of my collection ( for spare plants ) in pot, in a bulb frame without problem ( except I. elegantissima ??? ), and I also use tomato slow action fertilizer.
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Wow!!! :o
Your both collections look so orderly and marvellous neat!
I think I should weed a bit … ;)
Thanks for the cultivation information – it is always very interesting how other grower handle this delicate plants.
Here a picture of the bed / rockery (?) where mainly northern distributed Oncos and Junos grow, you can see the earlier mentioned small wall which protects this site to get too much sunshine (suppose Oncos and Cyclamen side by side are not so typical ::)).
As the bed is elevated water can run off easily.
The second pictures shows the soil components I use:
At the foreground on the left side heavy red loam mixed with different grits – on the right burnt clay grit- in the background two different sized lime grits.
This is a mix which works well in open beds here – for pot culture this type of mix is hard to handle and I use a much lighter mix with very good drainage.
Perhaps we should change the name tomato fertilizer in Onco fertilizer… 8) ;D
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I also grow part of my collection ( for spare plants ) in pot, in a bulb frame without problem ( except I. elegantissima ??? ), and I also use tomato slow action fertilizer.
Fred, you show an interesting window - is it available commercially in France / which brand is it?
Gerd
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I also grow part of my collection ( for spare plants ) in pot, in a bulb frame without problem ( except I. elegantissima ??? ), and I also use tomato slow action fertilizer.
Fred, you show an interesting window - is it available commercially in France / which brand is it?
Gerd
Oh! well seen, Gerd! I had to take another look to see what you meant..... I show that part of Fred's very interesting window( frame light) fitment......
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Hans, how LUCKY you are to be able to grow this plants outdoor, without protection, in a very nice rockery looking natural !!!!
Looking at your picture, I think I'll add some Cyclament graecum in my onco bed to change foliages...
Gerd and maggy, the frame was design by myself and build by a local metallic carpenter.
BUT, the fitments are not as good as expected and I've to change them with longer parts as I can't move under the window... mistake ;D
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Gerd and maggy, the frame was design by myself and build by a local metallic carpenter.
BUT, the fitments are not as good as expected and I've to change them with longer parts as I can't move under the window... mistake ;D
Thank you Fred - nevertheless an interesing construction!
Gerd
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Thanks Fred,
at the beginning I also had my doubts the northern species would like the local conditions - in their habitat they will have dry and often a snowcover in winter, here it is warm and very rainy - but so far no larger problems. Hope to see pictures from you Onco/Cyclamen combination soon.