Pickerel Weed looks sad and yellow in bog filter. Add cat litter and fertilizer?

[Linda W]

the Pickerel Weed in my bog filter was lush and floriferous last year. But after I had the bog redone and replanted, the plants never recovered. I tried putting fertile tabs in each root ball, but there’s not a lot of dirt to hold the tabs in place. Frogs and lizards live here, but not fish. The bog has rocks of various sizes and a perforated PVC pipe that brings in water from the pump below. I’m thinking about replanting the Pickerel Weed with some clay kitty litter around the roots, but wonder if that would wash away or clog up the bog. The third photo show other Pickerel plants nearby that look healthier.
Thanks for any advice. What a wonderful community of pond lovers!

 

[mrsclem]

Your plants in your bog should be planted directly in the pea gravel or rocks. Dirt and kitty litter can clog your bog.

 

[Linda W]

Thanks, @mrsclem! Do you think there is anything I can do to perk up the plants? Maybe they just need to settle in and put out more roots.

 

[GBBUDD]

not a lot of dirt to hold the tabs in place. Frogs and lizards live here, but not fish.

There is part of the problem there's nothing to feed the plants. But also in most of the country I assume because no one is screaming climate change. The weather has been very mild pretty much since November for my self warm winter but now a very cool and tempid water. Plants like it hot for the most part and pickeril is no exception.

 

[j.w]

Maybe they need iron? You can take a small wad of steel wool w/o the soap kind and stick it under each plant. I did this w/my water lilies every time I divided them. Might need more fertilizer too since no fish.