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Around the Pond
Q - What are the best plants to use close to the pond?
Any creeping plant that acts as a softener, naturally forming around the rocks. Mosses and various ground-covers work very well here.
It is also possible to bring the lawn right up to the edge of the pond. However, care should be taken to ensure any run-off is directed away from the pond.
Q - How should plants be organized around the pond?
The general rule of thumb here is to think like a photographer who’s organizing a group of people for a photo – shortest in front, tallest in back, and the others in the middle. That allows all smiles to be seen and appreciated. If you organize your plants with shortest ones up close, the medium size plants and bushes in the middle, and the tall plants, with long, swaying grasses in back, you’ll be on the right track.
Q - Is it possible to over-plant the area surrounding the pond?
As a matter of fact, one of the things a new water gardening enthusiast has to watch out for is over planting in year one. Many of the plants you locate around your pond can grow quickly, turning your water garden in years two and three into a veritable jungle. Remember that a water garden is intended to develop and mature over time and if you try to make it happen all at once you could be creating a problem for yourself.
Q - Are there plants that should be avoided in the area surrounding the pond?
Avoid any plants that don’t look and feel natural and at home by the pond. Also, some types of bamboo have been known to poke holes in liner when planted in a pond. Though a rare occurrence, make sure you check with your plant specialist first.
Q - Are there plants that attract particular forms of wildlife?
Yes. Presuming of course that the species exists in your geographical area, there are plants that attract certain types of birds. The same can be said of butterflies, dragonflies, turtles, and frogs. They all need food and shelter in order to survive and if you provide them with easy access to the plants they like, then you increase the odds of attracting them to your pond.
Q - How about weeds in the area surrounding the pond? Are they a problem?
Like anywhere else in your yard, the area surrounding the pond has the potential to become weedy. Good maintenance practices and plenty of desirable plants will help keep weed growth to a minimum.
Q - What’s the best way to get natural looking color into the surrounding landscape?
Two things with regard to lots of color. If you take the time to plant bulbs in the fall, they will come up in the spring and give you boatloads of color. The second dash of color comes from annuals like impatiens and petunias. Impatiens, in particular, love the water and grow nicely in the pond or the stream, blooming late into the year giving you a season-long splash of color.
In the Pond
Q – Do I have to have plants in my pond?
Yes, you must have plants if you want to have a naturally balanced ecosystem and a low maintenance pond where Mother Nature does most of the upkeep. Without aquatic plants, algae will have a field day on the nutrients that are bound to be in your pond. Aquatic plants are an absolute must in the eyes of knowledgeable water gardening enthusiasts everywhere.
Q – Will the aquatic plants survive through the winter?
Just like regular garden plants, aquatic plants can be like hardy perennials that come back year after year, or annuals (also known as tropicals) that you’ll need to replant each season (unless you pull them out of the pond and store them in a warm place).
Q – What role do plants play in filtering a pond?
Plants absorb nitrates and phosphates that would otherwise contribute to and encourage algae growth. Generally speaking, the more plants you have, the less algae-related maintenance will be required.
Q - How many plants should I have in my pond?
Ideally, 40 to 60 percent of your pond should be covered with plants. They should be made up of a mix of marginal and floating plants, which will not only use some of the nutrients in the water, but they will also provide your fish with shade and cover from possible predators.
Q – Where can I purchase aquatic plants?
Any garden retailer that carries pond supplies will usually carry a mix of lilies and marginal plants for you to choose from. With the popularity of water gardening growing by leaps and bounds, the odds of finding a good selection of aquatic plants to choose from is getting better every season. Aquatic plants can also be purchased from many mail order sources.
Q – Can I grow lotus?
Yes. They are many hardy varieties, and they make a beautiful addition to your pond.
Q – The leaves on my water lilies are too small. What can I do about that?
This is an easy fix that just requires a little monthly maintenance. Lilies are very hungry plants that require a lot of fertilizer to grow to their fullest potential. Most varieties will do best with a feeding about every 30 to 45 days. All you need to do is use your finger to poke a hole in the soil or media around the plant and insert a lily fertilizer tablet. Be sure to cover over the hole in the soil to keep the fertilizer close to the plant. Plant size will determine how many tablets each plant needs, but most mature lilies will require about three tablets.
Q – Last year my pond looked great. But this year my plants are overwhelming it. Have I done something wrong?
The good news is that you have a healthy ecosystem and your plants are thriving. Now you just need to do a little pruning to regain the balanced look that you want. Aquatic plants are usually very easy to divide, but each different type has its own requirements. Invest in a good aquatic plant book and you will have all the information you could possibly need. When you’re finished dividing them, you will likely have some extra plants that you can use to decorate a less-crowded section of the pond, or you can share them with your water gardening friends. Maybe that friend will have a special variety of plant to trade.
Q – My pond gets too much sun/shade. Is that bad?
For water gardening enthusiasts the sun is both friend and foe. The plants that we love to grow and watch bloom require a certain amount of sun to thrive. However, algae also loves the sun and thrives in its presence.
Trying to build your pond in the perfect location where it gets enough sun for the plants, but not enough for the algae, can be a challenge. Just build your pond where it best suits your landscape and viewing requirements, and then adjust your plantings to match the solar pattern. There are many varieties of plants that are shade tolerant and will provide you with a beautiful pondscape, while maintaining a healthy ecosystem. On the other hand, too much sun can be countered by adding additional plants to create shade.
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Pond Help