Plant storage/winterizing

[A.N.Other]

Need advise on winterizing pond plants.
I live just west of oronto, Canada.
TIA
ANO

[Derek Broughton]

A.N.Other wrote:

> Need advise on winterizing pond plants.

Hardy plants can generally be left in the pond. Tropicals have to come
indoors, or be composted. If you can lower hardy plants below the maximum
depth of ice, they generally have a better chance, but some plants (irises,
rushes, watercress) survive freezing. We'd give better advice if we knew
which plants you have.

> I live just west of oronto, Canada.

You either have an extra T or you're missing one :-)
--
derek

[Heather]

Hi:

We are just outside Woodstock. Our pond goes to 4' but the lilies have
wintered over at 2' and the iris at1' or less. as Derek said it would help
to know what plants you have.

Heather


"A.N.Other" > wrote in message
...
> Need advise on winterizing pond plants.
> I live just west of oronto, Canada.
> TIA
> ANO
>
>

[Derek Broughton]

Heather wrote:

> Hi:
>
> We are just outside Woodstock.

I used to live there... (pre-pond, though)
--
derek

[A.N.Other]

"Derek Broughton" > wrote in message
...
> A.N.Other wrote:
>
> > Need advise on winterizing pond plants.
>
>We'd give better advice if we knew which plants you have.

Pond is iregular (approx a triangle) with a base 23ft x height 16ft.
depth is 42in with a self at about 22in at the ends.
Pump becket 3500 submersible in skimmer box -> filter and water falls.
No bottom drain/scavenge

plants:
Hardy water lilies.
Bullrushs - various
Rushes Unknown variety v tall with bottle brush seed pod.
Parrot feather
Black tarro
Yellow Flag Iris
unknowns given me by friends, or found growing in with other purchases.
1) small narrow saw edged leaves with small white flowers.
2) arrow shaped leaf, flower is a white spike.
3) odd shaped leaf (looks like the silloette of an oak tree) yellow flowers.

Fish (those left after herron attack)
4 large subunkins (6in) they've been busy so there numerous small fry.
2 Goldfish

> You either have an extra T or you're missing one :-)
Missing one.

ANO

[Derek Broughton]

A.N.Other wrote:

> depth is 42in with a self at about 22in at the ends.
....

So that's deep enough to protect all of the hardy plants.

These ones can freeze solid, so you don't have to do anything with them:
> Bullrushs - various
> Rushes Unknown variety v tall with bottle brush seed pod.
> Yellow Flag Iris

These ones should be sunk below the ice. I use baskets with rope on them to
let me grap the lilies - because at the bottom of your pond, you'd have to
get IN in the spring, otherwise, and you don't want to do that!

> Parrot feather
> Hardy water lilies.

Now, K30 and others were suggesting that the Parrot feather will probably
survive anyway. I like to grab a few bunches, stuff them in some pantyhose
(with a stone for weight), and lower it with the lilies.

This is tropical:
> Black tarro
and makes a good house plant over the winter.

> unknowns given me by friends, or found growing in with other purchases.
> 1) small narrow saw edged leaves with small white flowers.

Floating leaves, or on a stalk? If floating, I'd suspect some kind of
Nymphoides (floating heart) or else water cress. Water cress is very
hardy. Nymphoides can be treated exactly like lilies - some are hardy,
some are tropical. If it's on a stalk, I have no idea.

> 2) arrow shaped leaf, flower is a white spike.
Arrowhead? Sagittarius latifolia.
http://www.k12.nf.ca/sjis/landhabitat/river/arrowhead.html
If that's what it is, it can freeze solid.

> 3) odd shaped leaf (looks like the silloette of an oak tree) yellow
> flowers.
Not a clue about this one.

>> You either have an extra T or you're missing one :-)
> Missing one.

LOL. West of Toronto puts you in notably milder terrain than west of
Orono. :-)
--
derek