Water Plant FAQ For Beginning Pond Enthusiasts

Question #1: I have put some water plants in my pond, but when am I supposed to fertilize them? What can I use to fertilize them? Help!

Answer #1: Your water plants should get their first dose of fertilizer in the spring. The exact time to start fertilization would be when your water plants start to sprout. A majority of water plants do well with consistent monthly feeding, with biweekly fertilizing in July and August (around the same time you are tanning in the sun). Stop Fertilization a month before winter in your area.

You can use any general plant fertilizer for water plants. The only problem you should be concerned about is how to get the fertilizer to the plant without turning your pond green. Algae feeds on fertilizer. How can you combat against this problem?

Easy!

Just use a fertilizer in tablet form. Be sure to push it into the soil and cover up whatever hole you create with more soil. This will prevent the fertilizer from dissolving and releasing its nutrients back into your pond.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question #2: What is the best waterlily to grow in a container pond? I need to know!

Answer #2: A container pond is small, only taking up about 3 or 4 feet of space. It also gets warm in the summer. So, to have waterlillies that will function properly in this type of pond, you need ones that will stay compact and can tolerate warmer water.

Miniature waterlilies are the most suitable candidate for these types of ponds. These waterlilies are very small, only being a few inches wide. Miniature waterlilies include 'Laydekeri Rosea', 'Joanne Pring', 'Helvola' and others.

Small hardies can grow real nicely in container ponds. These flowers can range from 4 to 5 inches in width. Hardies include 'Walter Pagels', 'Perry's Baby Red', 'Little Sue' and others.

Tropical lilies like 'Dauben' are great for container ponds as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question #3: Is it really necessary to have water plants in my pond?

Answer #3: The answer depends on what you want to get out of your pond. If it's a large fountain that is used for giving the birds a bath or splashing water, forget about water plants entirely. If you have a large koi pond, water plants might distract viewers from seeing your beautiful and expensive fish. If you want a pond that imitates ponds found in nature, water plants are a must.

Water plants add color to a pond. They also provide shade, keeping the pond cool in the summer and protect the fish you have in your pond (even the expensive prize koi). They also help reduce the amount of algae that can grow in your pond.

Some plants filter the water, such as water parsley. Certain grasses and sedges are good for fighting against pond algae (remember an earlier blog mentioning how plants can battle algae), like umbrella grass, cattails, soft rushes and others.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Look out for more Water Plant FAQs in the future. Until next time....