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Picking pond plants
16 Jun, 2009 By: Jamie J. Gooch Get GrowingSummer is almost upon us. It’s time for your clients to relax in the shade by the pond. Make sure their enjoyment is complete by using plants appropriate for around, and in, ponds. The right plants will maintain a well-balanced eco-system for the pond, which will keep the water clean and clear.
Pond plants provide a number of benefits to ponds. They introduce oxygen into the water, consume nitrates and phosphates that lead to excess algae, and provide habitat for fish.
There are a number of different types of pond plants:
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Marginals, also known as bog plants, grow in shallow water or wet soil around the banks of ponds. From a design standpoint, these plants create a transition from the land to the water. From a pond health standpoint, marginals can be planted in gravel beds to create the equivalent of underwater bio-swales that help remove excess nutrients from the water.
Submerged plants, also known as oxygenators, grow below the surface of the pond. They release oxygen into the water and remove excess nutrients, so they are especially important in fish ponds.
Floating plants reduce algae via shade as they float freely around the pond trailing their roots. Algae prefers warm water and needs light to grow. Floating plants also help filter water through their root system. Most floating plants need to be removed before winter temperatures fall. The well-known floating plant is the water hyacinth, which can quickly get out of control because they multiply so quickly.
Floating foliage plants, also known as deep-water plants, have roots in the soil below the pond, but foliage and sometimes flowers above the surface of the pond. The most famous plant of this type is the water lily. There are many types of water lilies with various colors and scents, which can be grown in submerged pots or beds. They normally grow in up to 3 ft. of water. Like floating plants, floating foliage plants provide shade benefits to the pond. They also absorb waste matter from the pond.
According to Tony Roocroft, author of “The Complete Pond Solver,” about two thirds of the surface area of the pond should be left as open water. He recommends two bunches of oxygenating plants, one water lily and one bog plant be planted for each 10 sq. ft. of pond surface area in order to obtain the right balance. The plants can be placed in whatever way provides the best aesthetics. It’s the total number of plants that matter to the ecosystem.
Too many plants will disrupt the balance. Because many aquatic plants multiply quickly, it is often necessary to thin out fast-spreading pond plants in order to keep the right ratio of plants and open water. Oxygenators, especially, can take over a pond if not thinned out regularly.
There are a number of products specific to pond plants, from mats used to hold marginals in place to specially designed planting baskets to fish-safe aquatic fertilizers. There are even “Islandscapes” that can be used to create floating landscapes in ponds. The right tools, the right plants and the right maintenance program will keep your clients’ ponds clear and healthy, and add to your bottom line during the summer months.
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