Plants, plants, plants

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PallasAthena

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May 17, 2009
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It's springtime in the pond! :dance2: I've got 5 frisky males with their breeding stars sparkling, and I've got 3 females getting chubbier by the minute.

As of right now, there are virtually NO plants. Theres a bit of anacharis, and some other one that I haven't managed to identify, but everything else turned to goo in the winter and the shade.

What can I get for my fish-buddies? The pond is fairly shady, so that's an issue. I think that's why I can't keep hyacinths and lettuces alive. I'm worried that lillies just wouldn't grow.

I'm definitley thinking of some parrot's feather. I hear that can tolerate shade. I'm considering some lotus instead of lillies, but from what I hear, the lotus can get HUGE.

Any tips? Any baby-fish friendly tips? Anything I ought to get to help them lay their eggs?
 
Hey PA!
Water lilies will grow just fine in shaded areas, they just won't flower as much. I have had a miniature lily, Perry's baby red, that did fine and actually flowered pretty well with only 2-3 hours of direct sunshine a day, and I have one now called James Brydon that is supposed to be particularly shade tolerant. It is the flower in my avatar. I have noticed with my water hyacinth that they don't seem to like moving water much. The biggest, happiest plants were way away from the splash of the fountain, and behind some tall plants.

I haven't grown it, but my magic plant book says water poppy tolerates a lot of shade, too, and it has lily-like pads. Does say it is prohibited in some places, but so is water hyacinth. Same magic book says lotus need full sun, but some will tolerate only 5-6 hours a day. There is also a pretty long list of pond plants that tolerate shade in it...the book is 'Timber Press Pocket Guide to Water Garden Plants' by Greg and Sue Speichert.

Glad to hear all the fishies are doing well. My two males are showing stars, but since the heron ate all the ladies, they are going to be going solo till the babies get a year or two old. I might go shopping for a lady for them this spring...or I might just let the young'uns have a year to grow up before there is a whole new crop of babies for competition.

Jen
 
Oh, I was so hoping you'd reply! :)

Thanks for the pointers on the specific lillies to try. I really, really do want some lillies. Did you get those at ewaterlilly? IIRC, that's where you reccomended before as being good.

I'll check out the water poppies, too and see if that's an option.

I'm so sad to hear that all of your ladies got eaten! Poor girls. I guess that's one advantage of having a BIG dog who chases everything out of the yard. The disadvantage of course is that she chases everything out of the yard, so we miss out on cool things like turtles and frogs and other birds.
 
I did get the James Brydon at ewaterlily.com...can't remember where I got the Perry's Baby Red, but I think ewaterlily had it, too.

I also have a big(ish), bird-chasing dog, but he was inside snoozing at the time :/
I have since netted the pond, which is ugly, but...oh well. I've seen the heron, and it is as tall as I am...almost wonder if I ought to net the dog to keep the heron from carrying HIM off, too :)
Jen
 
There are bowl lotus that stay small, about 1- 2 feet if that. Water Hyacinth like to be crowded and thrive in dirty water. I remove mine if they get to looking less than happy and put them in a crowded container of pond water from my water change then fertilize them with Miracle Grow. Rinse after a week or two and put them back in the pond. Water Poppy will flower pretty good in lightly shaded areas.
Carla
 
I have these in my shady pond. They are lovely.

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Water Hawthorn
Aponogeton distachyus

Water Hawthorn
Courtesy: Terry Blackburn
This deep-water marginal - also known as Cape Pondweed - is native to South Africa and will grow in water 6-inches to 2-feet deep. It grows from a small bulb; the floating leaves are long and narrow. It blooms profusely, with small, white, vanilla scented flowers. It will bloom in the spring while the waters are still cold, and then again in the fall once the water temperatures have fallen. Each plant can cover an area about 2 to 3-feet in diameter. It goes completely dormant during the summer months, so mark your pots carefully, so you don't accidentally discard this plant in the middle of the summer. It is a great companion for water lilies since they perform best during warm weather. This plant is also a good choice for shady ponds. Water hawthorn will tolerate slowly moving water.
Water hawthorn is very easy to care for. Plant the bulbs an inch or so deep in heavy clay top soil. Fertilize monthly when in active growth. Once the plant begins to slow down as the weather gets warmer, stop fertilizing until you see new growth in the fall. Water hawthorn is a prolific seeder and you may find baby plants springing up in your other water plants. You can also divide the plant in the spring or fall.
Winter Care: Winterize water hawthorn the same as you would a hardy water lily. Once the plant is killed by frost, drop the pot to the deepest part of the pond so the tubers do not freeze. Water Hawthorn is hardy to zone 5, but if protected, should survive if the tuber does not freeze.

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These are pics of my pond a few weeks ago

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