Topic: Permanent Planting for Steep Shores.
Pocket-mats Protect Pond Shores against Ice and Light.

Date: All year

Summary:
Gently sloping, shallow shores are optimal for pond plants. Often, however, this requires a larger surface area than is available in many gardens. Many times this leads to steeply built shores, where the liner lies naked, exposed to the sun and possible damage from ice and UV radiation.Construction aids to plant these steep shores often have a limited life span.
The NaturaGart shore-mats, made completely from artificial fibres and tested since many years, are an excellent alternative. This product has now been complemented with a special pocket-mat for especially difficult planting situations.

The mat takes into account the plants' growing conditions: A row of pockets close to the waterline allows for planting shore plants that stand just a few centimetres under water.

Underwater plants, important oxygen generators in ponds, grow 40-50cm lower in the second row of pockets. It is important to securely fix the mats to the shore, which is possible with a special aluminium profile.

The pocket mats are available in widths of 65, 120 and 200cm, with pockets about 20cm wide. They reach into the water about 50cm and another 50cm stay on land for secure fixing on the shore.

Expansion:
Correct shore design is essential for the pond's beauty, life span and safety. Most pond liners are only stabilised against 1,000 - 3,000 hours of UV sunlight at most. More is technically impossible. Once the protection of the UV stabilising agents has been used up, the liner beings top age and becomes brittle.

Many pond owners want water depths that ensure their fishes' survival in winter. For this reason the banks are often built steep, reserving too little room for the shore. The consequence can be a shortened life span.

If the necessary space just isn't available, the only solutions to give the pond its desired life span are technical aids such as the pocket mats.

Images:
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Image rights:
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Photo: NaturaGart 

Two rows of pockets allow for planting shore and underwater plants on steep banks. In places with little space, we recommend the use of an aluminium shore-profile for securing the mat.	Steep shores often lie naked and exposed because planting is difficult.	The pocket mat before lowering into the water: The pockets are filled with earth and planted.
Shore plants grow in the top row, underwater plants one floor below.