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Plant Life

There are many plants available for use in water gardens. One should have a clear plan as to how many plants, including water-lilies, are expected to be used in the water garden and how they are to be arranged before actually purchasing the plants. A simple sketch showing water-lilies as the feature plant group is really all that is necessary. Supplemental species such as those to be placed along water margins should also be included. There are certain considerations to be taken into account. Most considerations, such as water depth, amount of sunlight, and how each species relates to its surroundings should have been considered during the design phase. Floating leafed and submerged plants are necessary for a healthy pond and must be included in your selection. The following is a partial list of varieties of available plants from Lakeside Gardens and distributors (Dr. Clyde Ikins) by use group.

Floating leafed plants

Usually water lilies. Plant enough to cover 50 to 75 percent of the surface area of the pond, or approximately one for every 10 square feet of surface area (there are dwarf varieties for barrel gardens). Floating leafed plants will cover the surface of the water to a point that will, if done correctly, limit the amount of light reaching the depths of the pond holding algae growth in check. Thus, Lotus (Nelumbo spp.), which hold their leaves above the surface of the pond, do not contribute to this maintenance tool and are considered under Bog or Marginal Plants. Water lilies (Nymphaea spp.) are of two types, tropical and hardy. Tropical water lilies in turn are divided into day and night bloomers. Hardy water lilies are all day bloomers. Some hardy water lily flowers change color shades over the life of the bloom, adding to the character of these unique plants termed "Changeables."

Submerged plants

Submerged plants are the oxygenators of the pond ?? a must if your pond is to be healthy and support fish. Submerged plants may become aggressive if planted in earthen ponds. Especially the first three listed which may take over a pond. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the USDA have listed 12 species and one entire genus of plants on a list of restricted aquatic plants. These aggressively spreading plants are considered noxious weeds. The import, sale, purchase, propagation, or possession of any plant or its seeds on this restricted list is illegal without proper licensing and permits. In fact, many of these same plants are sold in the water garden catalogs since they are not restricted in states with colder winters. If you are unsure of the plants you are interested in, call the nearest Texas Parks and Wildlife office and request information. Roots of these plants are not used for nutrient or water uptake, but for anchorage, so oxygenators may be potted in gravel. Submerged plants should be stocked at a rate of one bunch per 2 square feet of surface area, in groups of 6 to 12 per pot depending on the size of the pot. Caging these pots is often advisable if the pond is to contain fish, which tend to forage on submerged plant foliage. Some available cultivars are:

Free floating plants

Free floating plants such as duck weed, water lettuce, and water hyacinth, though not necessary, add the finishing touch to a natural appearing water garden. These plants move with the breeze and produce an ever changing appearance for the pond. Functionally, they add to the oxygenators and produce varying casts of shadow that the pond owner and the fish will appreciate. Though in colder climates these plants are excellent choices, Giant Duck Weed (Spirodela oligorhiza), Water Hyacinth, and Water Lettuce are restricted plants in the state of Texas. Some examples of these interesting plants are described below as well as one commonly available one that is not restricted in the state of Texas:

Though these plants may be available, be aware when ordering from mail order catalogs that they are illegal in Texas even though advertised in many water garden catalogs and usable in other areas of the country. If you are unsure contact a Texas nursery that specializes in water garden plant material.

Bog or marginal plants

Though most are not grown for their flowers, some bog plants offer help for those unable to site their pond in sufficient sunlight for the majority of water lilies. Some plants can tolerate as little as three hours of direct sunlight. Some grow best in constantly moist to soggy soils, while others actually grow in standing water. There are many different species of bog plants with varying heights, textures and colors to their foliage. Plants for the bog garden or for margins of the pond add height and drama to the water feature; lotus, sagittaria, and dwarf bamboo add unique foliage, where iris, cattails, and sweet flag have unmatched upright linear texture. Some selections of bog plants are:Plants for Bogs and Adjacent Areas

Plants to surround the pond

Many of the bog plants can be used in areas surrounding a pond. Other plants for use around the pond should be of a character that their reflection lends drama to the pond. Colorful flowers, attractive bark or fluted trunks, or other winter aspects can add to the seasonal interests of a pond. Avoid plants such as walnuts and willows that have leaves with allelopathic characteristics.

Planting the Pond

Spring is the best planting season for water garden plants because it is the active growing period. Planting in the spring makes handling the plants much easier than if they were dormant. You can also see prospects for growth. Plants should also be lifted and divided at the same time since there will be a clear indication of what will be good and what should be discarded. Plants bought for the pond should be in top condition and installed immediately upon receipt if possible. Therefore, do not purchase the plants until you are ready to plant, or if ordering through the mail, plan their arrival carefully. Many mail order dealers ship their plants at only certain times of the year.

Plants bought from a garden center are often potted and ready to be placed in the pond. If not, or if you purchase your plants from mail order houses, they will come to you bare root, wrapped in plastic containing moist organic media or paper. These plants should be removed from the media, washed, and potted immediately upon receipt. Plan ahead and have your soil, fertilizer tablets, pots, and burlap, if you are using baskets, ready ahead of time. Planting water plants is simple if you will follow a few simple rules. Each container should be lined with a square of burlap to prevent any soil from escaping into the water unless you are using a modern micromesh container. Loosely fill the container to the top with a heavy clay soil. Then plant the water garden plant. Using a watering can with a fine nozzle, thoroughly soak the container. This will drive out all the air and the soil will sink. Add further soil and water again until it has settled solidly, about ½ inch below the rim of the basket. Then add a layer of pea gravel and water thoroughly once more. This will ensure that the plant remains securely planted when the container is eventually placed in the water feature. The gravel will help to prevent soil from escaping from the top of the container and stop fish from stirring up the soil and clouding the water.

Water plants which have excess foliage when planted, especially if bare-rooted, will rarely remain planted securely. The floating foliage acts as a buoyancy aid, lifting the plant out of the basket. This is a common occurrence when attempts are made to stand water plants on piles of bricks so that they are at the same depth as previously grown. Doing so is a waste of time. Cut the leaves back to the crown, plant properly and place the water plant on the floor of the pool in its permanent position. The fresh foliage will reach the top in a matter of days and will not look sickly and yellow as it does when plants are moved and their leaves preserved.

Lilies (Nymphaea)

Tropical lilies form crowns and should be planted in deeper pots. The crown should be placed in the soil near the top and covered with only as much media as is needed and then 1 inch of gravel leaving the growing point above the soil and gravel.

Hardy lilies grow from rhizomes and should be grown in wide shallow tubs or baskets. The rhizome should be placed in the soil at a 45 o angle and covered with soil and 1 inch of gravel. Be sure to leave the growing tip above the soil and gravel. Tropical and hardy water lilies should be covered with 6 to 18 inches of water.

Lotus (Nelumbo)

Water lotus should be considered a bog plant, as they do not contribute to covering the surface of the pond as do the floating leafed water lilies. Water lotus grow from large vigorous banana shaped rhizomes and must have at least two nodes (the pinched looking area of the rhizomes) left on them when divided in order to survive. Their roots are brittle and can easily be broken, killing the plant. Lotus should be grown in large tubs or baskets no less than 32 quarts in size. Place the rhizomes shallow in the pot and cover with soil and 1 inch of gravel. It may be necessary to put a rock or brick over the tubers of these plants until rooted to prevent them from floating out of the soil. Lotus should be placed in the pond about 4 inches below the water surface. To place the lotus in deeper portions of the pond, put them up on blocks or bricks to achieve the proper depth. Place scraps of liner under the bricks to guard against punctures.

Oxygenators

These plants often arrive in bundles of cuttings and should be planted as they are into pots and placed on the bottom of the pond. Their roots are merely for anchorage so they can be placed in sand, soil, or gravel.

Bog plants

These plants should be placed in pails or pots on the shelves of the pond where the crowns of the plants are covered by about 1 inch of water.

Floating Plants

These plants should be rinsed well before placing them directly into the pond.