How to make marginal Irises flower?

[Faebinder]

Any ideas? They are growing strong, they seem to be in full 2/3 of the day. Mine have become 3'-4' now, not including roots.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Which specie/variety?

 

[Faebinder]

I think it's yellow mostly.

Update I just saw two flower buds so maybe it's gonna flower this year.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Do you get enough sun?

 

[Faebinder]

Do you get enough sun?

About 6-8 hours now of direct sun.

 

[adavisus]

A few cubic inches of potash tucked among its roots will pep up the blooming

Marginal plants do deplete their positions when they mass up

 

[Lisak1]

Marginal plants do deplete their positions when they mass up

And irises mass up better than any marginal I know!

Question @adavisus - maybe you know the answer. My yellow flag iris grows beautifully in my pond, but every spring the first leaves are completely yellow. They look healthy in all other ways except they are yellow yellow yellow. The next set of leaves are beautiful and green. I've searched the web for an answer, and all iris "problems" seem to involve curling or spotting along with the yellowing - I have none of that. And this isn't really a problem as the plant is clearly healthy and growing. Is it strictly a nutrition thing? And why only the irises - every other marginal is green as an Irish spring - so I would assume there's plenty of nutrients in the water.

 

[Faebinder]

I truly underestimate how much iron these plants need. Every time I add some iron the irises become within a week.

 

[adavisus]

Lisa, It depends on the iris as to the rate of growth. Yellow flag is a monster, doing 10x more bulk growth rates compared to many if it has the fertility to gobble. Japanese iris by contrast grow petite, dense, spread very veeeeery slow (maybe one foot wide or less per 10 years)

You may have Variegated Yellow flag, pseudacorus variegata, or a hybrid from that plant which puts up bright yellow variegated leaves early in the year

 

[Lisak1]

THAT'S IT PRECISELY! Thanks so much! I was searching for another variety that might explain the yellow but otherwise altogether healthy plants!

 

[Faebinder]

Here is what I got... note these are the bog and not the pond irises.

 

[Faebinder]

Huzzah!!!

 

[Faebinder]

Now most of the flowers wilted, do I cut them off? Do you cut the whole stem off? Would they regrow?

 

[addy1]

I leave the stems, the green growth supplies the roots/tuber with nutrients for the next year. Like daffodils etc. Mine, quite often, stay green all winter. If they die then I do cut them off.
The flower stems can be cut off.

Mine are right now in full bloom, the water iris and bog iris. Land iris, done.

 

[Faebinder]

Ahh so you don't expect them back after they bloom and wilt. Alright, chop the flower stem but leave the leaves a lone.