Plant Care

Benefits of Water Plants and 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		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		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		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		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.

PRUNING

Most 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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The 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.

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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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Benefits of Water Plants and 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

[clear]

Types of water plants

Type	Description	Examples	Image	Uses	Info
Floating	Float on the water’s surface, no planting necessary.	Hyacinth, Water lettuce		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		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		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		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.

PRUNING

Most 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.

[clear]

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.

[borderSpace]

Winterizing your Water Plants

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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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