How to Grow Aquatic Plants
Aquatic plants add a pleasing aesthetic quality to your outdoor pond, giving your landscape habitat a finished look. Aquatic plants provide shelter for your pond fish, keep water temperature down and help control algae blooms. Aquatic plants function as a very important part of a pond's ecological system. Aquatic plants convert fish waste into plant food and filter and oxygenate the water. Pond plants ready for planting can be purchased in gallon containers. It's also possible to grow your own aquatic plants with shoots from existing plants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic pots Screwdriver Hammer Gravel Trowel Aquatic potting soil Aquatic plant fertilizer tabs
Instructions
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Choose a pot about two times the size of the plant to allow plenty of room for growth. If pots do not have drainage holes, punch four or five holes in the bottom, using a screwdriver and hammer.
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Line the bottom of the plastic pot with gravel to help keep soil in place and provide enough weight in the pot to keep it in place when submerged.
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Fill the pot half full with potting soil, firmly the soil into the pot.
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4
Spray a steady stream of water onto the base of the aquatic plant to loosen and removes dirt from the roots. Spray until the plant stalks and roots are exposed.
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5
Examine the roots to check for natural divisions among the roots. Gently pull apart each section, leaving some roots for each section of the plant. The roots will tear a little but aquatic plants are hardy enough to handle this as long as you transplant them quickly. Use a trowel to split stubborn roots.
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Place the plants into prepared pots, with the plant stalk base about 2 inches below the planter's edge. Fill in the remaining soil to point about 2 inches below the pot rim.
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Layer the top of the pot with gravel (or pea gravel) to hide the potting soil and keep it in the pot. Place your plants into the pond as soon as possible, angling the pots until they fill with water. If you can't submerge the aquatic plants immediately, soak them with water.
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8
Fertilize your aquatic plants by poking a hole into the soil, using a plant stake. Push a fertilizer tablet into the hole and cover with soil and rocks.
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Tips & Warnings
Covering the soil surface with gravel also keeps out nosy fish that can damage the plant roots.
References
- Photo Credit S.F. Heron
