For whatever reason(s), planting "marginal" rhizomes directly into the garden (or, "late arrivals", for that matter), just doesn't work well for me. I "potted" almost everything, last year (anything that arrived after July 1st, and anything that looked 'iffy") and had much better success. When the season was "shutting down" I sank the pots in the beds....where I wanted the iris to be....and am just now (as bloom is finishing....removing the pots, and dropping them into the holes. Seems to be working well, and my % of those "not making it" is way down
