* A healthy pond contains a proper balance of fish and plants.
* Plants reduce algae by shading the pond and competing with algae for nutrients.
* Plants provide a food source for many fish.
* Plants balance the pond by utilizing nitrates, phosphates, and other dissolved organic wastes.
* Plants provide a breeding area for some fish.
Water lettuce: A popular floating plant that will
reproduce quickly once it establishes itself. Where hyacinths like full
sun, they prefer some shade. They do not flower.
Water Hyacinth:
A very popular plant that
grows rapidly. Likes lots of sun. Purchase a few in May and by late
June you will have a dozen or more. With their quick growth, they absorb
nutrients from the water and shade the pond. That makes them great for
algae control. They will bloom with a pretty
purple flower in August. By August you will probably have to thin them
out. The only bad news is that they will not survive the winter so you
will have to buy a few each spring.
Bunch Plants: Anacharis: (Elodea) This is,
by far, the best selling pond plant. It is sold in bunches. You can
buy 10 or more bunches in early spring and either float them, or put them in
some small pots with gravel. Either way they will grow quickly. They
help balance the pond by absorbing nutrients. They are also a great
supplemental food source for goldfish and koi. Submerged plants will help
provide oxygen during the daylight hours.
Other bunch Plants: There are many other good bunch plants
that can be floated or potted. These include cabomba, creeping charlie,
hygrophilia, and hornwort.
Marginal Plants: These are plants that normally
grow with their roots in water and the rest of the plant out of water.
They are used to decorate the shoreline and many get lots of
flowers. Marginal plants should be potted, and use a fertilizer tablet for
best flower production. We get weekly shipments of many marginal
plants. Some popular varieties include parrots feather, arrowhead, and
water iris.
Water Lilies: Water lilies are one of the
main reasons many people own garden ponds. Lilies are potted in soil or
gravel. Once established, they will bloom daily during the summer. Lilies
require about 3-4 hours of sunlight daily, and they need fertilizer tablets for
flower production. Hardy lilies are perennials, tropical lilies will last
one summer.
Water Lettuce
Water Hyacinth
Anacharis
Water lily
