Pond Plants

When is the best time to put plants in the pond? Never had plants in the
pond before so I haven't a clue. Also, what are some good plants for a fast
moving waterfall? I would like some plants on the waterfall ledges but the
water comes at a fast rate. Is the a good web site on how to establish a
water garden and planting advice?
BTW. I am in the Portland, Oregon area we've had vitually NO winter and are
experiencing a very early spring. The fish aren't coming out yet (2 koi, 1
goldfish, 1 comet) Thanks!!

Around here, SE WA state, our nurseries seem
to get plants in May. But we are also experiencing
nice weather and I wonder if they will push the
season.

I plant watercress in my waterfall. I get it from the grocery store,
just a stem and leaves. I put the stem under a rock and
that's it. (Don't use BV's patent pending 'and beer' method
as I don't drink...) Watercress likes moving water and if the
rock will hold it in your fast moving waterfall it ought to do
really well. The roots don't require much of anything. When
I have to weed my waterfall I just grab it and it comes right
up, seems to send out very shallow and brittle roots.

kathy

"99windstar" wrote:

When is the best time to put plants in the pond? Never had plants in the
pond before so I haven't a clue. Also, what are some good plants for a fast
moving waterfall? I would like some plants on the waterfall ledges but the
water comes at a fast rate.
Water cress comes to mind. I also have some things in pots so the current
isn't such an issue if you can hide the pot with rocks

Is the a good web site on how to establish a
water garden and planting advice?
The best! There are some very knowledgeable people here.



San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.

"99windstar" wrote in message
news:XFKVd.65843$Dc.55647@trnddc06...
When is the best time to put plants in the pond? Never had plants in the
pond before so I haven't a clue. Also, what are some good plants for a
fast
moving waterfall?
===============
I can't help with the waterfall but the other pond plants are usually
available for sale around the last frost date. Many stores carry them much
cheaper than you'll find online. Almost all of mine came from Lowe's, Home
Depot and Wal-Mart. A few came from a local riverside.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
This Space For Rent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 20:12:26 -0600, "Reel McKoi" wrote:

I can't help with the waterfall but the other pond plants are usually
available for sale around the last frost date. Many stores carry them much
cheaper than you'll find online. Almost all of mine came from Lowe's, Home
Depot and Wal-Mart. A few came from a local riverside.

You haven't shopped Portland, OR. I blanched at some of their prices. Sure
made me feel good though when I sell my extra canna's for $5 an one
Portland place had same (and not as nice looking I might add) for $22!!!
Course I'm not a store, just a hobbyist selling a few divides, so don't
have the overhead, but still.... $22!!!!

To 99windstar, for the waterfall, have you been to Sunset Koi & Gardens in
Beaverton? This is a treat, the most fantastic Koi & Plant store I've yet
to visit. (I've shopped at home Tri-Cities, WA, Spokane, and hit a few in
the Seattle area). Sunset even beats Moorehaven in my book, though
Moorehaven is pretty impressive.... but I digress....

Back to a plant for the waterfall, at Sunset K&G they have a fern like
plant growing on many of their waterfalls. I didn't get the name of it,
because I didn't think it would grow here in the desert. Low & behold, this
last summer I found the same fern like plant growing on the little
waterfall I run all winter. At first I thought, ah ha! It is because I let
the water trickle all year around. But no, I think it was this fern type
decoration I once got that you spray with water to keep alive. I was told
it would go dormant if not watered. Well inside I always forgot and it
never looked that great. So last summer I put it by the main water fall
under the Japanese maple, where the micro sprinkler would mist it daily. I
think it put off spores and that's how I now have it on the rocks. One
thing about it, it sure stopped the algae from forming on the rocks, and
what a natural filter, it is still green, even in the cold water.

Kathy, just so you know, I plan to give a bit to you and Bonnie to grow
this year. See if we can make a little "market". ;o)

So 99 if you find out what it is, let me know. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

That brings up a resource I forgot to mention,
other pond keepers!
There are probably at least one pond or koi club
in your area. Also watch those tabloid sized ad
papers that come out. Often ponders will sell
divides in those.

And pond plants grow like crazy. The plant you
buy this year you can probably divide into four
plants next year.

As far as planting them - and realize I am still a
total amateur at this (and years don't help...)
but most plants come with a tag that will tell you
how far underwater they should go. Marginal plants
like reeds and sedges and other 'stand up' plants
can usually go from an inch to five inches underwater
at their crowns and they aren't that fussy.
You can use plain garden soil to plant in, they sell nice
rigid mesh black baskets to put the plants in and special
pond tab fertilizer (or use rose spikes). Lilies go on the
bottom.

You just have goldfish right? Koi can cause some problems
but many of them can be overcome with a few tricks.

kathy

"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 20:12:26 -0600, "Reel McKoi" wrote:

I can't help with the waterfall but the other pond plants are usually
available for sale around the last frost date. Many stores carry them
much
cheaper than you'll find online. Almost all of mine came from Lowe's,
Home
Depot and Wal-Mart. A few came from a local riverside.

You haven't shopped Portland, OR. I blanched at some of their prices. Sure
made me feel good though when I sell my extra canna's for $5 an one
Portland place had same (and not as nice looking I might add) for $22!!!
Course I'm not a store, just a hobbyist selling a few divides, so don't
have the overhead, but still.... $22!!!!

## Wow! That is a lot! A man at a local Aquarium-Pond store in Nashville
pays me $8.00 for anything nice in a 2 gallon pot with gravel over the soil.
I make about $7.90 on each plant because I got a load of pots for free. I
buy bags of gravel at Lowe's. They go a long way for $2.99 a bag. Soil is
from the woods behind the house. He sells them for $15.99!

Back to a plant for the waterfall, at Sunset K&G they have a fern like
plant growing on many of their waterfalls. I didn't get the name of it,
because I didn't think it would grow here in the desert. Low & behold,
this
last summer I found the same fern like plant growing on the little
waterfall I run all winter.

## Water celery? They have a plant here I've seen called water-celery and
water-fern. Some escaped my pond one year and was growing in the damp soil
next to a tree.

At first I thought, ah ha! It is because I let
the water trickle all year around. But no, I think it was this fern type
decoration I once got that you spray with water to keep alive. I was told
it would go dormant if not watered. Well inside I always forgot and it
never looked that great. So last summer I put it by the main water fall
under the Japanese maple, where the micro sprinkler would mist it daily. I
think it put off spores and that's how I now have it on the rocks. One
thing about it, it sure stopped the algae from forming on the rocks, and
what a natural filter, it is still green, even in the cold water.

## It's sounds very pretty. :-)

Kathy, just so you know, I plan to give a bit to you and Bonnie to grow
this year. See if we can make a little "market". ;o)

So 99 if you find out what it is, let me know. ~ jan

--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
Middle TN (zone 6)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 22:21:23 -0600, "Reel McKoi" wrote:

## Wow! That is a lot! A man at a local Aquarium-Pond store in Nashville
pays me $8.00 for anything nice in a 2 gallon pot with gravel over the soil.

Wish I had some one like that. In the beginning I offered them to a local
place that was just beginning to do pond stuff. Their nursery person said
to the owner, "Those (pond plants) don't grow well here." Her experience
was some friends pond who must have had a black thumb and VERY black fungus
colored thumb not to be able to grow pond plants. I went to another nursery
and they told me, we only by certified health plants from people we trust.
I guess I must have had my T-shirt that said, "Loves insults." Needless to
say, I'm uncutting them, but I'd rather have one place to drop off and have
instant cash, than deal with calls and drop bys.

## Water celery? They have a plant here I've seen called water-celery and
water-fern.

The only water celery I know is that one Kathy found a picture of just a
week or so ago. This looks fern-like, like azolla, but it all grows on the
rocks, and doesn't repel water off the surface like azolla, so it is shiny.
I did a search on water-fern, but didn't come across a picture of what I
have. I may have to E Sunset and see if they know the name. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 22:21:23 -0600, "Reel McKoi" wrote:

## Wow! That is a lot! A man at a local Aquarium-Pond store in
Nashville
pays me $8.00 for anything nice in a 2 gallon pot with gravel over the
soil.

Wish I had some one like that. In the beginning I offered them to a local
place that was just beginning to do pond stuff. Their nursery person said
to the owner, "Those (pond plants) don't grow well here." Her experience
was some friends pond who must have had a black thumb and VERY black
fungus
colored thumb not to be able to grow pond plants. I went to another
nursery
and they told me, we only by certified health plants from people we trust.
I guess I must have had my T-shirt that said, "Loves insults." Needless to
say, I'm uncutting them, but I'd rather have one place to drop off and
have
instant cash, than deal with calls and drop bys.

## That's what I like about the place in Nashville. He takes everything I
have at the time. I don't have to make a bunch of drop-offs. He also buys
all my extra fish. I can take cash or he gives me credit for store items.
I usually take cash.

## Water celery? They have a plant here I've seen called water-celery
and
water-fern.

The only water celery I know is that one Kathy found a picture of just a
week or so ago. This looks fern-like, like azolla, but it all grows on the
rocks, and doesn't repel water off the surface like azolla, so it is
shiny.
I did a search on water-fern, but didn't come across a picture of what I
have. I may have to E Sunset and see if they know the name. ~ jan

## Oh, sorry, what you're describing is something altogether different.

--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

are you guys talking about "air fern"? that unnaturally green stuff? water
fern - SUN plant? water celery? "real" names?

--
______________________
Claudia
Totus Tuus