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Dream vs Reality |
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At the top of the pond builder's wish list are floating plants that are simply thrown into the pond. They float on the water, 'combat' algae and flower like crazy from February till November. The problem, however, is that neither Evolution nor plant cultivators have ever been able to realise this dream.
In other words:
This noble vegetable does not exist.
Even if many dealers promise otherwise. |
 Water hyacinths are sold as permanently flowering swimmers. These tropical plants, however, only flower under permanent sunlight in shallow mud basins 20cm deep. Only few ponds are like this. |
 Reality: Ponds with clear water are so low in nutrients that floating plants can hardly survive in them. This fringed water-lily is planted on the ground like other waterlilies and it gets its fertiliser there. |
Wild Plants or Cultivated Forms
Domestic wild plants are very winter resistant, but plants from Canada or Siberia even more so. Sometimes plants from other countries have advantages that domestic plants lack. Canadian pickerelweed, for example, still blooms when domestic varieties have long finished. Additionally, there are good cultivated forms that flower especially well. Most pond builders choose a mix of domestic wild plats and decorative plants as well as cultivated forms from other regions. |
 Among the best spring bloomers are primroses and kingcups. The filled variety flowers 2-3 weeks earlier and flowers much longer... |
 ...than the unfilled, domestic wild form, because it cannot be pollinated. However, they for less flowers. The best is to plant both varieties. |
Which Plants Proliferate?
Perhaps a friend or neighbour wants to give you something from their overgrown ponds. There are species that you should under no circumstances plant (and they cannot be found in the NaturaGart range of products). The 'good' pond plants do not grow rampant - your neighbour will probably not want to give you those, if he has them at all. You should therefore consider carefully if you want to accept such presents. |
 Certain types of bulrush and reed can be problematic for small or incorrectly built ponds. |
 The nice Siberian iris is probably not on your neighbour's surplus list. |
If You Plant Too Little
Where plants already grow it is unlikely for unwanted weed to arise.
If you plant with too many gaps, these will be colonised, for example by grass.
Hint: Never plant less than 4 portions per meter of shore! If your budget is tight, it is better to sow the shore by strips. This will close the ground but you won't have as much variety. |
 A thick roof of leaves suppresses competitors. |
 The higher the plant is, the better this works |
Sowing Pond Shore Seed
Many pond plants cannot be sown very well, for example because the seed has to pass through a duck's stomach to germinate properly. Other species need complicated cold and warm phases. Many types can only be propagated through shoots, because they don't form seeds at all.
In addition to the plants NaturaGart offers seed mixtures that make for an attractive shore of flowers. |
 NaturaGart pond shore seed creates flower rich shores - especially in combination with additional plants. |
 The combination is important. This is what the NaturaGart pond shore mixture and additional plants looks like. |
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