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Q: What is the recommended
amount of plants to put in the pond?
The recommended amount of plants is to have 30-50% of the
surface covered. We feel that you should have a good
variety of plants. Put in a mix of marginals, oxygenators,
and a small amount of lilies.
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Q: Do you plant the plants in pots
or directly into the gravel?
We plant all
the plants except the Lotus directly into the gravel. The
plants grow much better in the gravel because their roots
will never get bound. The plants will also be able to get
more nutrients by letting the root system travel through
the gravel and rocks.
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Q: What happens to the
plants in the winter time?
In the winter,
most hardy plants will die back and go dormant. The
tropical plants will need to be brought inside or treated
as annuals.
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Q: Is it true that plants breathe
in carbon dioxide during the day and reverse in the
night?
No, the truth of the matter is that green plants breathe in
oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide all the time, both
day and night. In addition they use up carbon dioxide and
generate oxygen during the day completely separate process
know as photosynthesis.
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Q: Why do I need plants in my
pond?
Aquatic plants are a major part of your ecosystem. Look at
them as a biological filter. Plants use nutrients from your
water and keep it clean. Without them your pond would be
murky and smell.
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Q: Will plants reduce the amount of
algae I have?
Yes, the more plants you have in your pond, the more
nutrients are being used up, and the more surface area is
covered, which means less algae.
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Q: How do floating plants help my
eco-system?
Floating plants like hyacinth and water lettuce are quite
vigorous growers, and shade quite a bit of your pond. And
their large room mass acts like a screen to absorb
nutrients from the water as they pass. Floating plants do
great in stream beds.
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Q: Do underwater plants help my
eco-system?
Underwater plants are great at producing oxygen in the
deeper parts of your pond. They also use up a lot of
nutrients because they absorb through their leaves along
with their roots.
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Q: What is the difference between a
hardy lily and a tropical lily?
Tropical lilies bloom 10 times more than hardy lilies, but
go dormant in the winter time. But hardy lilies keep their
foliage all year round.
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Q: In the winter time my plants'
leaves turn brown, what should I do?
Some plants are not hardy in your area. You must trim back
all the decaying foliage, and sometimes remove the whole
plant. Decaying plant mass just adds more nutrients in the
pond.
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Q: Can some aquatic plants live out of the
pond?
There are many types of plants that are both aquatic and
terrestrial. Some take a little time to get acclimated to
the other setting. There are some vine plants that do great
outside the pond, as long as the original root is still in
the pond.
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Q: What are these little bugs
eating my plants?
They are aphids, the best way to get rid of them is to get
a herbal aphid control spray (make sure it is safe for fish
and aquatic gardens). Or you could always get a bunch of
lady bugs, which eat them.
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Q: Can I plant my aquatic plant in
the gravel?
Most aquatic bog plants are be planted directly in the
gravel, but you might want to build a planting pocket with
extra gravel for the taller plants like cattail. Planting
in the gravel helps a lot with the eco-system, but you
might have a problem trying to contain the plants, without
a pot constricting them, they sure grow fast.
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Q: Should I just leave the aquatic plants
in their cans?
No, most aquatic nurseries plug the holes in the bottom of
the cans, this prevents the planting media from leaking
out. This also creates an enclosed environment so that your
plant is not really aiding to the eco-system at all.
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Q: So what is the best way to
plant aquatics?
Use an aquatic planter basket, usually they are plastic
with holes through them, sort of like a laundry basket.
Then rinse out the plants root mass and fill the planter
basket with small gravel. Then bury the plant in the
basket.
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Q: How can I minimize the risk of
introducing pests and diseases to my plants?
Potassium permanganate crystals dissolved at the rate of
about 1 tablespoon per 2 gallons of water is an effective
disinfectant. Soak plants in this solution for a couple of
hours this will help prevent diseases. Also remove all
pests before putting the plant in your pond. Also soak the
leaves (not roots) in a vinegar Solution of about 10 mil
per 10 liters of water.
Q: How many underwater plants should I
have in my pond?
For small ponds you should have about 20 plants per square
foot. For medium ponds use about 10 plants per square foot.
And for large ponds use 5-6 per square foot.
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