Selecting For Managing

To make your planting a fun experience and not a chore, we recommend that you select plants that remain in orderly clumps when planted. This will make your maintenance of them a whole heck of a lot easier. Plants like Marsh Marigolds and Irises are a good choice. Other selections would be the Pickerel and flowering rush. These plants could also be planted together if desired.

Another consideration is the wind. Trying to stake aquatic plants is not very practical. Avoid the really tall varieties in areas where high winds are common place. You'll spend more time pruning and setting them upright again then enjoying them.

Pests and disease are not very common in aquatic plants, however it can happen. The more common problem is the waterlily aphids that don't discriminate in which plants they consume. By virtue of their name, they love waterlily leaves, but feed just as well on arrowheads or sagittaria.

Selecting For Flowering

During the winter months, in most of the country, there will be little color to enjoy. Of course the remains of the flowering heads of the water plantain are attractive after a snowfall, but their overall durability can't be depended on. Cold is cold and most plant varieties will be long gone after the first freeze.

If you want some color early, then opt for the Marsh Marigolds. Next will come the Irises right behind them. A short time later your waterlilies will start to begin blooming. Next various reeds and rushes will begin to flower up and add another dimension to your water garden.

When To Buy

The normal season for aquatic plantings is from the beginning of spring until the late summer. Most will be around until after a frost, but things take a turn for the worse after that. Don't plan on planting late in the season, as most varieties won't have time to establish before the frosts and freezes. Try to do most of your planting in the spring.

Many wholesale supplier’s "force" the slower growing varieties into early blooming by placing them in a polyethylene tunnel. They may really look great in at the nursery, but will probably look pretty sad when you get them home and plant them. They will most likely survive, but it will be the new foliage that will add to the overall look, not the old. There is no advantage to purchasing these plants, they are for show and leave you wondering what the heck happened.

Rushes, arrowheads, frogbit and water chestnut. If they look great at the beginning of the season, they have been "forced", don't buy them. These are late bloomers, so wait until early summer to make a purchase. Let your plants mature naturally, the way nature intended.

Spotting A Keeper

It's not as easy to tell if an aquatic plant is a keeper or not. Trees or a shrub is much easier. They basically don't have much structure until summer time. You can tell by how vigorous it looks and it's overall appearance. It's not rocket science to tell if a plant looks healthy or not. The major problem is purchasing from a supplier and the plant not being marked correctly or being sold something they don't have a clue about. Your best bet is to visit a water gardening store or private nursery center and ask a few questions. If it seems like they don't know their aquatics from a hole in the ground, go elsewhere.

When selecting waterlilies be sure they are suitable for the depth at which they will be planted. Check also the spread of the lily. Some varieties will eventually grow from bank to bank in a small pond. That's not the look you want. Be very suspicious of cheap waterlilies on sale at bargain basement prices. There is no such thing. You get what you pay for, so research common fair pricing before you head out to buy. You can also purchase them pre-potted and generally these will have been fertilized for you already. The price however can be outrageous, toping $40.00 or more. We would prefer to plant them ourselves, so we know it has been done according to common practices.

Any aquatic plant should look lively and bright. Check the leaves, top and bottom, for signs of black clustering aphids or small grubs. If you see cigar shaped jelly cylinders, stay away. These are the eggs of the troublesome pond snail. They love the foliage and will consume your plants in no time.

If you decide to buy bareroot plants, make sure the root is solid. If it is soft, chances are it will die and may spread unwanted infection throughout the pond. The submerged plants should be fresh looking. Avoid any that have been in tanks that have become overheated and faded.

One last thought. Don't purchase plants over the Internet. More times then not you will be disappointed with what you get. They are also expensive to have shipped, as they must go second day air to stay alive. We will probably tick off a lot of people here, but we don't offer aquatic plants just for that reason. If it were the thing to do, we'd be doing it.