Pond plants

Pond Planting. A Roadmap.

Most pond plants produce roots. These plants then like to root in a nutrient medium. Planting pond plants in a pond basket ensures good growth and generally reduces the proliferation of aquatic plants. Don't fancy all that plastic? In our webshop, we also have biopolymer pond baskets available. These break down naturally over time.

Even if you have a pond with a solid (clay) bottom, it is sometimes wise to opt for baskets, as this prevents proliferation and the pond plants are easier to control. Below, using a number of photos, we explain in steps how to plant pond plants.

Step-by-step plan for planting oxygen plants

Requirements for planting pond plants

To plant pond plants in baskets, you need a few things:

  • Pond baskets (per basket, you can plant 4-5 bunches of pond plants)
  • Fine gravel
  • Pond soil or garden soil (no potting soil!)
  • And, of course, pond plants!

Roadmap

Step 1: Fill the pond basket with soil

Fill the pond basket with earth. Firmly pack the earth, leaving about 2 cm below the edge. Gravel will later be placed on top. It is best to use special pond soil, but if this is not available, you can also use garden soil. On no account use potting soil, as it is very light and floats easily, and contains a lot of fertiliser. These fertilisers dissolve in the water and can cause your pond to quickly turn green because algae use these fertilisers to grow!

You can use root canvas or jute in the basket if necessary. However, it is better not to do this for the gas exchange and thus the growth of the plants.

Fill the basket with soil and cut away the remaining root canvas

Step 2: Placing the plants in the pond basket

Using your fingers or the back of a screwdriver, make holes in the earth. Try to make these about 2 cm in diameter and about 10 cm deep. You can plant four to five bunches of pond plants per 3-litre basket. Around some bunches there are leads. These are used to keep the plants upright in the containers in our shop. You must remove these leads when planting the bunches in the baskets. Then place the bunches in the holes and press the soil firmly. Be careful not to cut the stems! Do you accidentally cut the stems? Simply tear off a piece of the bunch and plant again.

Remove the lead and plant the woods in the holes (in this case we plant e. densa, or Brazilian waterweed)

Step 3: Fill the pond basket with gravel

Now that the bunches of pond plants have been planted, it is important to fill the basket with fine gravel. This way, the earth is less likely to wash out and fish will not burrow into it. In addition, applying gravel can give a nice effect to your pond. It is best to use rounded pond gravel. Gravel, for example, can be very sharp and can damage the pond liner if you move the baskets. Lime-based gravel can dissolve in the water again, which can give undesired values to the pond water. 

Tip: attaching two tyreps makes it easy to lower the basket into the pond later.

Remove the lead and plant the woods in the holes (in this case we plant Egeria Densa, or Brazilian waterweed)

Step 4: Soaking the pond basket with water

Now that the bunches of pond plants have been planted, it is important to fill the basket with fine gravel. This way, the earth is less likely to wash out and fish will not burrow into it. In addition, applying gravel can give a nice effect to your pond. It is best to use rounded pond gravel. Gravel, for example, can be very sharp and can damage the pond liner if you move the baskets. Lime-based gravel can dissolve in the water again, which can give undesired values to the pond water. 

Tip: attaching two tyreps makes it easy to lower the basket into the pond later.

Carefully wet the soil and make sure everything is soaked.

Step 5: Place the pond plants in the pond

Placing baskets in the pond is best when the level is low. This is not always feasible. If you have attached tyre tracks to the basket, you can use a rake to gently lower the basket into place. The slower you do this, the less leaching of soil you will have.

Very carefully lower the baskets into the pond when planting pond plants.

Don't fancy planting pond plants yourself or getting your hands dirty?

Of course you can. Would you like to outsource your pond planting completely? Then our partner webshop also offers a planting service.

Buying oxygen plants?

At our sales partner Pondmaster.co.uk are several species during the season oxygen plants for sale, please feel free to take a look!

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