Guides
Other Aquatic Plants
GROWING OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS
There exist thousands of different aquatic plants. We have divided ours into four groups: moisture-loving , shallow-water, submerged, and floating. In general, aquatic plants tend to be on the invasive side, which means that they are easy to care for and multiply quickly, but must be managed so that they do not grow out of control.
Mositure-loving plants
This group of plants needs soil that is constantly damp, but not saturated or underwater. It is in this group of plants where soil preparation can be more varied, as some prefer boggy loam, while others do best in sand. See individual plant descriptions for direction. These plants may be grown in buried containers, which can help to manage them, as long as moisture levels can be maintained.
Shallow-water Plants
This class of plants almost always requires full sun to do well, and they can be among the most invasive. In a garden pond they are usually planted in submerged containers, such as our 14L and 20L models. This allows them to form handsome clumps while limiting their development. If planted in this way, they will need to be divided every few years. Almost as a rule, shallow water plants do well in clay-rich topsoil, and they respond very well to fertilizer. Planting them is simple - just fill the container with earth, wet the soil, bury the roots firmly in the soil, and place the container at a depth of 5 to 20 cm. Bricks or cinderblocks may be used to adjust the height of the containers. If you have fish in the pond, don't forget to place small stones over the soil to prevent the fish from foraging.
Floating Plants
These plants float on the surface, drawing what nutrients they need directly from the water. This trait makes them natural water filters. Planting them is as simple as tossing them onto the pond's surface. Most floating plants are invasive. Water hyacinth and water lettuce are tropical, however, and so are killed off at the first frost. Duckweed and water fern are hardy, but will wax and wane according to the season and growing conditions. Floating plants are also prized by those shady ponds and container water gardens.
Submerged Plants
Submerged plants are also referred to as oxygenating plants because they absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen directly from and to the water, as opposed to the atmosphere. These plants are extremely vigorous and will quickly colonize a pond, no matter the size. It is for this reason that we recommend to people with small garden ponds that they plant them in containers. Those with large, mud-bottom ponds should avoid these plants altogether.