Floating Plants

Because planting a floating plant involves nothing more than placing it in the water, the main concern is keeping their reproduction under control. Too many floating plants can lead to depletion of oxygen levels in no time. In shallow ponds, especially during summer, the plants can actually trap heat within the pond which will lead to the water temperature rising to dangerous levels. On the other hand, too much coverage during a rainy day or abrupt change in temperature can result in the upper layer of water which is also warmer and more oxygenated to mix with the lower layer of cooler and less oxygenated water. This is called turning and will prevent sufficient oxygen exchange and will stress out any fish that are present.

 

To avoid this, excess plants should be removed. Duckweed multiplies at an incredibly fast rate in early spring. Even though the surface coverage will discourage the growth of algae, it can easily overrun your pond. The common type of Duckweed, Lemna minor, is usually kept under control by the stomachs of your fish. However, larger Duckweed doesn’t seem to interest fish and should be kept or pulled out of the pond. You will notice less of this plant in the hot summer months but if it is still a nuisance to you, removing excess or all of this plant in the spring and fall will be in your best interest.

 

Another floating plant, Water Meal, is a tiny plant that looks like fine grit that hangs out in clumps along the pond’s surface. Like Duckweed, Water Meal can overtake your pond in the blink of an eye. If your fish are not up to the challenge of eating the Meal to keep it under control, a copper or simazine treatment may be necessary to get rid of the problem.

 

Frogbit reproduces by growing side-plantlets that break off to multiply on their own. Frogbit roots in shallow pots of marginal plants and will create matting around the pot. Luckily, excess plants can easily be pulled out by hand. Frogbit doesn’t generally make it through winter. You can attempt to bring in some Frogbit before the first frost and keep it alive indoors, but people who have done this have found that they don’t grow back as nice in the spring.

 

Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinth are both tropical floating plants. They multiply through plantlets that are sent out off of the sides. Hyacinths bloom a pretty purple flower that lasts only a day. Water Lettuce is a favorite among fish for a snack. These plants make great additions to the compost pile because they absorb minerals from the water. Any excess plants are easily removed by hands and can be grown indoors during the winter but success at this is dependant on how well they’re kept and can be expensive. Tossing them out at the first frost and purchasing new ones the following year may be your best bet.

Choosing Plants

When drawing up plans for a new backyard pond, it’s important to think ahead about what you’re going to need and want to achieve your goals. Planning ahead for plants is important because although they only require light and water, different plants need different amounts of each.

 All ponds should ideally get sun for at least half the day. A full day of sun will promote plants to grow at their best but sun all day long can be fatal. Constructing different levels within the pond will be the best way to provide a variety of environments for different plants. Be sure to take in consideration the size and amount of plants you want to keep in your pond. Shelves should have a width that is deep enough to accommodate different plant basket sizes to avoid over-hanging. 

Most marginal plants are suitable to grow on shelves. Building shelves on the south side of the pond will be of benefit to you in sunny weather because you can place plants there that will in turn provide shade to the pond and help cut down on green algae. Water lilies vary in size but most prefer up to 10-16 inches of water coverage so placing them on the bottom of most ponds will suffice. 

If you see a waterfall or fountain in your future, keep in mind that many water plants, including lilies, don’t grow as well in moving water. Therefore, keeping waterfalls in a separate part of the pond, away from the plants, is something to consider. If a big part of having a pond is to grow water plants, know that space and plenty of room to grow is an important key in your plants future to grow to their best potential. 

Other Roles of Plants

Besides the obvious importance of pond plants including oxygenating by photosynthesis and being aesthetically pleasing to the eye, plants have many other important roles.

 

All pond plants have roots in which they absorb a wide array of things from the water. Nitrates, the end products of the natural detoxification of waste from the pond, can rise to a dangerous level if left unchecked. At an excessively high level, this can negatively affect the health of fragile fish but will also help fertilize the annoying algae variety known as blanket weed, neither a good thing. Plants come into the picture because they can take up excess nitrates through their roots as fertilizer, which will in turn take away important nutrients from algae and help keep your pond algae-free naturally. On top of that, plants can create a cushion against any drastic fluctuations in water quality just by absorbing components in the water.

 

Surface and floating plants will also create shade and shelter for fish from too much sunlight and possible predators. Up to sixty percent coverage for a pond is ideal to keep your pond running smoothly. Plant pond coverage can also help prevent water evaporation from the pond, keep the water cool and provide some food for the fish or other small organisms. Come spawning season, plants provide many sites for fish to lay and fertilize eggs as well as provide safety for the fry and other pond life to develop safely. Submerged plants are also ideal in providing oxygen, food and safety for your pond’s inhabitants. 

Water Garden Containers

If planning and executing the building of a backyard pond sounds too daunting or you’re just looking for something a step up from a bird bath, container water gardening could be for you. Practically any container can be used for your intentions. All you’ll need is some sealant and plenty of imagination. Urethane is a great sealer for wood, concrete and pottery containers. Neoprene paint is more expensive but gets the job done for bonding plastics and woods in doubly layers. Silicone can also be used as a glue for watertight results. Fortunately, all these products can be found at your local hardware or building supply store.

 

If you are looking to fashion a spouting ornament or a waterfall in your container, a pump will be necessary. Because the water flow through a small water feature may be only 50 gallons per hour, the pump itself and the cost will be small. Container pumps are submersible and usually don’t require filtration but usually come with an attachable filter screen. Be sure to support the pump either at the bottom of the container or suction cup it to the side of the container so it’s not just dangling by its cord. The pump should never be allowed to run dry as this will ruin it. Also, these pumps usually can’t withstand freezing due to cracking that will occur.

 

The rules and guidelines for keeping fish in a pond and a water container differ greatly. Because air temperatures and sunlight affect the water containers much more than a vast pond, choosing fish takes some consideration. Goldfish, for example, are cold water fish and would get stressed out and may even die due to higher water temperatures and the constant rise and fall of water temperature from day to night. Thus, tropical fish are a popular alternative. In most cases, water containers are dismantled during the winter at which time the tropical fish can be moved to an inside aquarium.

 

Popular fish choices for water containers include smaller species of the semi-tropical and tropical variety such as mosquito fish, white clouds, guppies, swordtails and Chinese algae eaters. Beta and Siamese Fighting Fish are also popular choices, although they live in solitary by nature. A general rule of thumb for stocking fish in water containers is on fish per gallon to avoid over-stocking. Containers are usually too small to provide enough food for the fish so be sure to feed them lightly with floating food that can be netted out if not eaten so as to avoid mucking up the water.

Planning ahead for plants

When drawing up plans for a new backyard pond, it’s important to think ahead about what you’re going to need and want to achieve your goals. Planning ahead for plants is important because although they only require light and water, different plants need different amounts of each.

 

 All ponds should ideally get sun for at least half the day. A full day of sun will promote plants to grow at their best but sun all day long can be fatal. Constructing different levels within the pond will be the best way to provide a variety of environments for different plants. Be sure to take in consideration the size and amount of plants you want to keep in your pond. Shelves should have a width that is deep enough to accommodate different plant basket sizes to avoid over-hanging. 

 

Most marginal plants are suitable to grow on shelves. Building shelves on the south side of the pond will be of benefit to you in sunny weather because you can place plants there that will in turn provide shade to the pond and help cut down on green algae. Water lilies vary in size but most prefer up to 10-16 inches of water coverage so placing them on the bottom of most ponds will suffice. 

 

If you see a waterfall or fountain in your future, keep in mind that many water plants, including lilies, don’t grow as well in moving water. Therefore, keeping waterfalls in a separate part of the pond, away from the plants, is something to consider. If a big part of having a pond is to grow water plants, know that space and plenty of room to grow is an important key in your plants future to grow to their best potential. 

Reproduction and Propogation

The reproduction and propagation of pond plants may take a bit of time to get familiar with but once you get the hang of it you’ll find it’s quite rewarding to watch your garden grow. Luckily, propagating pond plants is considerably easier than propagating “normal” garden plants. This can be seen especially when using the vegetative propagation method. One huge advantage aquatic and marginal plants have over their land counterparts is that, by way of life, their roots are immersed in water around the clock which eliminates the risk of desiccation. That being said, aquatic plants still need protection from strong winds and extreme heat and sunlight. 

 

Knowing when to thin out and divide your pond plants is also an important thing to know. Thinning and dividing of plants should be done when they’re fully grown and are showing signs of growing at a much more rapid rate than usual, often during the spring and summer months. The heat allows any parts that have been cut to heal quickly, whereas in colder temperatures, this could lead to rot. 

 

Fortunately, plant propagation doesn’t require any special equipment either. Success can be achieved by using simple instruments including seed trays, compost (preferably specific for aquatic use), hormonal rooting powder, planting liners and baskets, pebbles and a sharp knife. Clump division propagation is the quickest method of getting a respectable display in a short amount of time. However, clump division may not have the best quality results. For the most satisfaction, seed propagation is the way to go. Though it takes a long time, it is worth the wait.

 

Putting this much effort into having good looking plants isn’t just going to be aesthetically pleasing, no way. Plants play an important role in the health and balance of your garden. There is a saying that “plants keep the water sweet” and it’s true. Plants absorb compounds from the water, both through their roots and (in the case of submerged plants) through their leaves. By doing this they purify the water and help ward off the accumulation of toxins and pollution-generating junk. A consequence of this is that there’s a risk of noxious compounds building up to the point of where they can cause good water quality to diminish, which also takes away the unappealing smell with it leaving a “healthy” or “sweet” smell behind.