Need Black Gamecock Iris Expertise

[Dogcatlady]

I was so excited about this iris when I set up my pond last year. I put it in the front of my sunny bog, taking the small amount of soil in the pot and sticking it in the pea gravel, as instructed. The rhizomes are about 1-2" below the surface of the water.

It's puny and sad this spring, with yellow leaves. It was suggested to me that my pond is immature and I should fertilize it, but I have the right amount of healthy fish for my 3000 gal pond, and there is lots of gunk in the bog. Shouldn't that support this plant?

Should I have planted it in a cloth pot with soil? Should I fertilize it? Both? I have found minimal but conflicting information online.

I'm in zone 7A and I love purple and black in the garden, so this pant is important to me.

Help?

Thanks in advance!!

Ann

 

[mrsclem]

Sometimes these iris take time to thrive. I got no blooms on mine the 1st year and only 2 the 2nd year. Now it's gone crazy. I have mine planted in the bog where there is no water over the gravel. You may want to try raising it up a little.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I agree with mrsclem. My black gamecock took a couple years to really settle in & start blooming well.

 

[Jhn]

Will third the others advice, some iris can be slow to get going. I have various species in my bog. One took off right away, the others weren’t doing much for a couple years, then started growing like crazy.

 

[Mmathis]

Agree, not so much for this particular plant, but for most plants. It usually does take at least a year, or one growth cycle for some to plants to get settled in.

 

[addy1]

My variegated rabbits ear took a few years to get going, now I need to move some out of our little deck pond. It is where it freezes solid, cold winter, crown under water when the stream is running crown above water when it is not.

 

[Dogcatlady]

Thank you all! I kept reading what a great iris it is, how vigorous, how easy. So I figured it was failing here. I'll keep the faith and try to keep a stiff upper lip.