Best water plants for zone 6?

[Gemma]

Oh no, my pond is in full sun!

 

[Jhn]

In the upper pond you could add pickerel rush, hornwort and water celery, all (especially the latter two) grow like weeds, so would be great nutrient consumers. Also make good hiding places for fish fry. Just beware the water celery, as it spreads very quickly, don't add it if you don't want to have to weed it out of the pond, but to me that is what makes it a great plant for nutrient export. I have all of these in my pond and the water celery has grown around the whole perimeter of the pond through the rocks and thick patches in the shallows. Personally, I like that look as it softens the edges of the pond. Do you have koi in your 4' deep pond, if so they will keep it under control there.

Looking at your pond pics, lilies would grow fine in a foot of water in the upper pond. It would need to be a small/medium variety and be placed off to the side away from the waterfalls a bit in a shallow pot.

To me it looks like your net/mesh cover is up plenty high for lilies in the deep pond also, just boost the plant pot up on crates as was mentioned. The only issue in there will be if you have koi of any size as they will munch on it and uproot it.

 

[Faebinder]

For nutrient consumption you can't go wrong with irises, yellow being the most aggressive growers that I have, I'm zone 6b btw.

I don't use rushed or cattails but those are the second best of you want consumption power houses.

I noticed that obedient plants don't mind an inch of water. They flowered nicely in the second year and grew a lot. They consumed a lot from my experience.

When creeping Jenny gets going it sucks well it seems but the crown has to be above water.

Lobelia has nice flowers but you will need to lift the crown above water.

Finally, if you can pick up hardy hibiscus they grow aggressive but need a dry crown too.

 

[Gemma]

In the upper pond you could add pickerel rush, hornwort and water celery, all (especially the latter two) grow like weeds, so would be great nutrient consumers. Also make good hiding places for fish fry. Just beware the water celery, as it spreads very quickly, don't add it if you don't want to have to weed it out of the pond, but to me that is what makes it a great plant for nutrient export. I have all of these in my pond and the water celery has grown around the whole perimeter of the pond through the rocks and thick patches in the shallows. Personally, I like that look as it softens the edges of the pond. Do you have koi in your 4' deep pond, if so they will keep it under control there.

Looking at your pond pics, lilies would grow fine in a foot of water in the upper pond. It would need to be a small/medium variety and be placed off to the side away from the waterfalls a bit in a shallow pot.

To me it looks like your net/mesh cover is up plenty high for lilies in the deep pond also, just boost the plant pot up on crates as was mentioned. The only issue in there will be if you have koi of any size as they will munch on it and uproot it.

I'm definitely not interest in invasive plants, but I will try the lilies on top also, thank you!

For nutrient consumption you can't go wrong with irises, yellow being the most aggressive growers that I have, I'm zone 6b btw.

I don't use rushed or cattails but those are the second best of you want consumption power houses.

I noticed that obedient plants don't mind an inch of water. They flowered nicely in the second year and grew a lot. They consumed a lot from my experience.

When creeping Jenny gets going it sucks well it seems but the crown has to be above water.

Lobelia has nice flowers but you will need to lift the crown above water.

Finally, if you can pick up hardy hibiscus they grow aggressive but need a dry crown too.

I have to google some of the plants you mentioned, but I'm interested in the cattails, could I put them in the lower section and cut an opening on the mesh, or are they invasive?

Thanks for your replys

 

[Faebinder]

I'm definitely not interest in invasive plants, but I will try the lilies on top also, thank you!


I have to google some of the plants you mentioned, but I'm interested in the cattails, could I put them in the lower section and cut an opening on the mesh, or are they invasive?

Thanks for your replys

Dwarf cattails are not as invasive as regular.

 

[j.w]

Notice the not as part
They can crowd out a pot fast and are harder than heck to separate if you let it go for too long. Oh yes I know

 

[Gemma]

Dwarf cattails are not as invasive as regular.

I will definitely look into it next year! Too late this year, 5 or 6 weeks from now and the night temps are going to start falling
Thanks a lot!

 

[Gemma]

Notice the not as part
They can crowd out a pot fast and are harder than heck to separate if you let it go for too long. Oh yes I know

I'm not sure, are you talking about cattails?
I wonder if in zone 6 they are annuals or perennials?
I don't like perennials that tend to be invasive, at least if they're annuals even if they take over the pond for a season, they won't be a problem the next year

 

[Jhn]

The plants that grow aggressively are the ones that consume the most nutrients out of the pond. If confined to a pot, be it cattails or irises won't grow much beyond the pot especially in a 4' deep pond with koi and occasional pruning. When it fills the pot remove them and separate them, then repot letting the plants start over again.

 

[Gemma]

The plants that grow aggressively are the ones that consume the most nutrients out of the pond. If confined to a pot, be it cattails or irises won't grow much beyond the pot especially in a 4' deep pond with koi and occasional pruning. When it fills the pot remove them and separate them, then repot letting the plants start over again.

I agree that an invasive plant consumes more nutrients, but I have to disagree that a pot will prevent an invasive plant from taking over! I had one (don't know the name)that took me 3 seasons to get rid of completely, it kept resurface and from its pot, it had traveled along the walls behind the stones. We hat to take part of the wall down to remove the roots and every time we thought we got it all, it kept reappearing.
That was a complete nightmare (almost as bad as the mint), that's why I wouldn't even consider a perennial if I know it is invasive
I do have a Marigold that's been in the pond for over a decade and it still in its pot, so yes some do stay put, but not all!

 

[Jhn]

I agree not all plants stay in their pots, maybe i was unclear.

I was referring to strictly cattails and irises in the deep end of a pond in my last post.Have had irises in a pot for a long time and that is as far as they go (a little past the edges of the pot) in the deep end of my pond. Now if I left them in a pot unchecked in the shallow part of my pond it would jump the pot edge and take over the entire shallow end of the pond in a couple years. However, in the deep end (about 36"-40" deep) the yellow irises boosted up on old cinderblocks, they stay in a neat little ball around the pot.

Pretty much any plant left unchecked and placed in the right conditions can take over.

 

[j.w]

Yep I was talking about cattails. I also planted some in between my rocks around the edge of my pond w/their feet in water. Big mistake! I ended up taking the suckers outta there. Only put them in pots now and only use the mini ones. I'm thinking they would be perennials for you too. They do go dormant in winter but come back in Spring.

I've had the Iris's push my big rocks right into the pond also and boy can they get a foothold in-between rocks also. Took me forever to get them out.

 

[Gemma]

I agree not all plants stay in their pots, maybe i was unclear.

I was referring to strictly cattails and irises in the deep end of a pond in my last post.Have had irises in a pot for a long time and that is as far as they go (a little past the edges of the pot) in the deep end of my pond. Now if I left them in a pot unchecked in the shallow part of my pond it would jump the pot edge and take over the entire shallow end of the pond in a couple years. However, in the deep end (about 36"-40" deep) the yellow irises boosted up on old cinderblocks, they stay in a neat little ball around the pot.

Pretty much any plant left unchecked and placed in the right conditions can take over.

Thanks for clearing that, I know nothing about cattails, now it sounds like a good choice!

Yep I was talking about cattails. I also planted some in between my rocks around the edge of my pond w/their feet in water. Big mistake! I ended up taking the suckers outta there. Only put them in pots now and only use the mini ones. I'm thinking they would be perennials for you too. They do go dormant in winter but come back in Spring.

I've had the Iris's push my big rocks right into the pond also and boy can they get a foothold in-between rocks also. Took me forever to get them out.

I have my Irises in a cement dome shaped pot,they are purple and I have been able to manage them ok,
How deep should the mini cattails be?

 

[Faebinder]

The deeper you put them, the less aggressive they will grow.

 

[Gemma]

The deeper you put them, the less aggressive they will grow.

Good to know, thanks!