Pond plants

Pond plants make a pond attractive for men and animal. However, they are also indispensable for a healthy pond. Properly growing plants assimilate nutrients from the water and produce oxygen. Thus they keep a pond healthy and clear. The stronger a pond plant grows, the more nutrients it will assimilate from the pond. This is what it is all about for biological functioning of a pond. If not, algae, including floating algae, fibrous and slimy algae or blue-green algae will form. An excess of algae will check the growth of pond plants.

What pond plants?

After laying a pond a real pond feeling will arise when you put plants in. Preferably different species. There are a lot to choose from and they can be spread over 6 zones. From waterside to floating on the water surface:

  1. Littoral plants
  2. Marsh plants
  3. Water plants
  4. Water lilies
  5. Oxygen producing plants
  6. Floating plants

Putting in pond plants

In a newly installed pond all species of pond plants can be put simultaneously . Applying marsh and waterside planting you can make a pond really full of atmosphere. Create beautiful groups with varying colours, heights and shapes of leaf. Finally a beautiful water lily will be the crowning glory of your work. If you want oxygen producing plants in your new pond, it is wise to let your pond develop for about 4 weeks’. As at the beginning your pond contains only few micro-organisms and a poor supply of CO2. Do you still want to put in oxygen producing plants at once? Oxygen will have to be added to the water then with so-called CO2Tabs.

If you buy pond plants, they should be put in the pond as soon as possible. Put these pond plants preferably in pond baskets. You can usually purchase them along with the water plants. Once in a pond basket, the plants with basket can be put in and moved till they will be in the right place and depth in the pond.

How many water plants to be put in

A frequently asked question is, how many plants have to be put in the pond in order to create a healthy pond environment with clear water. The answer is, so many that all nutrients present can be assimilated by growing plants. We understand, however, that this terminology is difficult to handles. Better comprehensible is: so many water plants that within 2 or 3 months the plants set out will cover 50% of the water surface. In this percentage we may include all species of water plants without regard to their growing in, on or outside the water. As we know that it is difficult to assess this in advance, you can also apply the following directive if a newly laid pond is involved:

  • Marsh plants: 3 to 4 baskets per linear metre
  • Oxygen plants: 5 bunches per 1,000 litres of water

Buying pond plants

You can buy pond plants in all garden centres, pet and pond specialist shops.

Pond plants which have been applied in the right manner, will assure you of many years’ pond pleasure!

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