Pond Plants

A pond is a beautiful centrepiece in any garden. Whatever the size of pond, pond plants help create interest and encourage wildlife. When planting, if you don’t have shelves in your pond for the pots to be placed on, they can be stood on bricks to raise them up to the correct height.

When to plant up your pond

You can plant up your pond at any time of the year, although the best time for most pond plants is late winter to early spring, just as they’re starting into new growth.

Plants are best planted into special aquatic containers which have mesh sides to allow water and oxygen to get to the roots of the plant. This will help restrict the growth of the plants and makes looking after them easier.

Use specialist aquatic compost as this is low in certain nutrients so will not encourage algal growth.

Keep the surface of ponds clean by removing floating weeds. Use a net to scoop out mats of tiny-leaved duckweed, and twirl hair-like blanket weed from the surface with a stick or garden cane – before putting on the compost heap, leave on the edge of the pond overnight so any aquatic creatures can crawl back into the water.

Plant Care

To help anchor the plant in place, add a layer of stones to the bottom of the container. Once the plant is in its new container, cover the top of the compost with a thin layer of grit to prevent the soil floating out when you submerge it.

Water the pot well to settle it.

Place the filled container into your pond at the correct depth – if you don’t have shelves in your pond, stand the pots on bricks to raise them up to the correct height.

Top Tip: Do not be tempted to smash ice on a pond with a spade as the shock waves could kill fish or other wildlife. Create a breathing hole by putting a rubber ball in the water before it freezes. Once the ice has formed, remove the ball.