Plant Care

Benefits of Water Plants and Plant Care

Plant Care

  • A source of food and shelter for Koi and Pond Fish
  • An essential aspect of any ecosystem
  • Improve water quality (absorb ammonia, nitrates and phosphates)
  • Provide shade, creating cooler water for fish and algae control in the hot summer months
  • Compete with algae for the intake of nutrients in the water
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Types of water plants 

Type Description Examples Image Uses Info

Floating

Float on the water’s surface, no planting necessary.

Hyacinth, Water lettuce

Plant Care

Provide shade and oxygen.

Inhibit algae development

Fish will often snack on the plants

Provide decoration

Tropical

Submerged

Placed below the water’s surface or at the bottom or weighted to the bottom of the pond, can be planted, or can sometimes remain with roots exposed

Hornwort Elodea

Plant Care

Oxygenators, compete with algae

Hardy or Tropical

Deep water

Planted in a basket with aquatic soil. Placement is at the bottom of the pond generally 2-4ft from the water’s surface.

Lilies

Plant Care

Provide shelter and shade for fish

Inhibit algae development

Provide decoration

Hardy or Tropical

Marginal

Plant with aquatic soil in a basket or bag . Often placed on shelves around the pond’s edge. Placement is approximately 1-2 inches below the surface of the water.

Iris, Canna, Rush, Taro

Plant Care

Provide decoration and structure to a pond’s periphery 

Hardy or Tropical
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Plant Care

FERTILIZING

The closed nature of a pond means that some vital nutrients are absorbed by the pond plants and will require replenishing. 

There are two types of fertilizers available that contain these nutrients. 

  • Fast acting liquid fertilizers like Laguna Plant Grow and Sera Florena – can be added directly in the pond to fertilize all plant life or can be concentrated in a tub outside of the pond for particular plants if needed.
  • Pond spikes like Laguna Once-a-Year Pond Spikes are great for marginal plant and lilies for a slow release formula – a great choice for new plants being added to a pond or newly repotted.

Plant Care

PRUNING

Plant CareMost aquatic plants are quite hardy and their care involves a regular maintenance schedule to ensure that their growth is kept in check. All that is normally required is some light pruning.

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Plant CareThe Laguna Pruning Tool will help keep plants looking neat and well manicured. You don’t even have to get your hands wet. The scissor head cuts and removes leaves from pond plants in one easy step, while the pincer head allows for grasping and removal of debris.

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REPLANTING

  • Most plants will have to be repotted once the roots have outgrown their current basket or bag.

  • Use an aquatic soil for planting to avoid soil dispersing into your pond and damaging your water quality.

  • Always wet aquatic soil before planting with it to avoid air pockets when placing back into the pond

  • Use a ½-3/4” granular, like a peagravel on top of the aquatic soil to weigh down the plant and aquatic soil

  • Use a pond plant fertilizer on newly  planted lilies and marginals

  • Slowly place potted plants into the water to avoid aquatic soil dispersing out of the basket or bag.

Plant Care    Plant Care    Plant Care 

 
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Winterizing your Water Plants

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Hardy water lilies and submersible plants (parrot’s feather) can be dropped down to the deepest point in the pond for the winter. Cut back any foliage from the lilies to limit decaying matter in the pond.

Floating plants like hyacinth and water lettuce can be removed and disposed of.

Hardy marginals can be trimmed back, leaving approximately 2-4” of the plant from the base.

Tropical water plants should be brought indoors in a sunny area and treated as a house plant, always keeping the soil moist.

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