Page 9 - AFD Pond Owners Handbook

Marginal Aquatics
Marginal aquatics are the plants TYPES OF COMMON AQUATIC PLANTS
found growing around the edges
(margins) of a water garden. They
add valuable filtration to the pond
and they remove elements that would
otherwise feed algae.
To create a natural-looking pond, a
good selection of marginal plants is
very important. There are hundreds of
Aquatic come in all shapes, sizes, textures, HARDY WATER LILY TROPICAL WATER LILY LOTUS
varieties – hardy and tropical – that

and flower colors.

PLANT
Plants CONTAINERS Taro – MARGINAL AQUATIC FLOATING AQUATIC FLOATING AQUATIC

Water Lettuce –
Water Hyacinth –
Aquatic Plants The Role of Plants in a Water Garden TIP: Keep overly-aggresive plants, such as lotus, Floating Aquatics The Added Touch Aquatic Plants

Floating aquatic plants sit on the water
Aquatic plants will add a new
dimension to your water feature. If
surface while their roots hang down into
in their containers to keep them from spreading
uncontrollably through the pond.
you take the time to learn a little
the water. Most are tropical, but a few
Aquatic plants aren’t just
provide fish with shade from the heat
water temperature is consistently
you’ll find them easy to install and
of the summer sun, cooling the water be planted in colder zones when the How to Plant Marginals are hardy perennials in climates with about them and their requirements,
hard winter freezes. These plants may
used in the water garden and making algae control easier too. above 70º F and treated as annuals or In a rock and gravel pond, be used to shade the water, helping with care for. They come in many forms
over-wintered, if given proper care. marginal plants are generally placed summer algae control. and sizes, varying widely in their
to provide beauty and Hardy directly into the gravel. This allows Plants such as hyacinth and water environmental needs. It is highly ABOVE: Learn
Hardy water lilies are reliably To Pot or Not? them to thrive naturally, and filter lettuce do a great job of disguising likely that, for any given situation, everything you need to
naturalization… perennial from the northern reaches Go natural when planting your the water more effectively. Invasive the open top of the BIOFALLS filter, you can find several species of know about types of
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of Zone 3, to the subtropical areas water lilies – hide those pots! Planting species should be kept in pots that while providing excellent filtration. aquatic plants to fill the bill. To learn water garden plants.
hey also serve the very of Zone 11. The white, pink, red, or pockets help you do this. Hopefully are buried in the rocks and gravel. Use a stick across the spillway to keep more about aquatic plants, grab
important function of helping yellow flowers float directly on the these have been excavated into your Well-behaved plants can be taken the waterfall from carrying the plants a copy of The Hobbyist’s Guide to
Tto balance the pond ecosystem. water surface and are open during the pond, if not, you can create them out of the pots and planted directly over and into the pond. They can also Pond Plants. Ask your local retailer
Their valuable biological filtration day. When cold weather comes, the with rocks right on the liner. Place in the gravel where the roots can be floated in the pond, however care or pond professional.
helps remove nitrogen, ammonia, foliage dies. This should be removed the potted lily into the pocket and absorb nutrients directly from the must be taken to make sure that they
nitrates, and other minerals that algae before winter. New leaves emerge cover with rocks to hide the pots. substrate of the pond where fish don’t end up in the skimmer. PLANTING
would otherwise feed on. In addition, again in the spring. waste and other organic debris AQUATICS
the plants provide food, shade, and Fertilizing settle and begin to decompose. Submerged Aquatic Plants
protection for the fish and wildlife that Tropicals Fertilizing water lilies is necessary Choose the area for the plant, move Submerged plants are commonly
Water
live in and around the pond. Typically, The flowers of tropical water lilies to encourage a greater number the gravel aside with your hands, referred to as oxygenators, but this is Water Lily Lettuce
they are divided into four groups – sit above the water and come in the of larger flowers. Time-released, place the plant, and spread the gravel a false description. These plants do
Aquascape Aquatic
Plant Fertilizer water lilies, marginals, floating plants, typical whites, yellows, pinks, and granular fertilizer, mixed into the around the base to support the plant produce oxygen during the day, but Forget-me-not
and submerged plants. reds. Unique to tropical water lilies soil at the bottom of the pot or plant and hide the pot. If you’re planting at night and on cloudy days, the cycle
are the blue shades – light blue to pocket, is a great way to fertilize bare-root, remove the plant from the is reversed and they use oxygen and Cattail Bulrush
Water Lilies deep purple. Flowers are also more lilies at the time of planting. Any pot and wash away any loose soil produce carbon dioxide. These plants Each aquatic plant species has different
Water lilies are available in hardy often fragrant and there are varieties other time, however, it would be before planting. Tropicals that you are still important allies in creating a water depth requirements because of
and tropical varieties. They both available that bloom at night. messy and inconvenient. That’s plan to bring indoors over the winter, well-balanced water feature by using how deep their roots are able to grow.
Having a good assortment of plants – each
come in a wide variety of colors, Although tropical lilies are only when EcoSystems EcoTabs should be left in the pots to make nutrients in the water. They also provide consuming nutrients at a different level of your
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shapes, and sizes and the leaves hardy to zones 10 and 11, they can fertilizer tablets work great. removal easier. great hiding places for baby fish.

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