Marsh marigold: normal summer die-back or something more?

[AlyssaFish]

Those actually look big enough to transplant to me--but if you can get them to grow bigger, that would probably increase the odds of them rooting enough to survive over winter. I have taken little accidental cuttings about that size and stuck them in other spots in my pond to have them take and do well--but occasionally they stayed small like that and didn't survive over winter for reasons I never determined.

Looks like everywhere but my local pond store calls it swamp buttercup. They probably thought "marsh" would sell better. XD I think there must be variations because some of the images I've found don't look quite like my plants. Mine are more variegated. Here's a link to an info page on it, including the scientific name:

Ranunculus septentrionalis image

Discover Life's page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification and distribution of Ranunculus septentrionalis image

www.discoverlife.org

Too bad about the water clover! I've got a Utah native water clover that I lovelovelovelove. Not sure the scientific name for it, though.

Parrots feather should probably be illegal everywhere! It's so pretty, though.

I'm not a gardener by any means, and have very limited experience with gardening, but one thing I would do if I were is check how firmly the roots have taken hold. If the roots are still loose, you can move the plant without causing any harm to the root system. If they have taken hold, it means that moving it risks damaging the root system. This won't necessarily kill the plant--I've done this many times myself--but it's another factor to consider. If the plant roots, it usually means it's actually pretty happy where it is. It could simply be putting in all of its energy into underground growth, like I described water celery doing. Some plants won't really send up new leaves until their satisfied that they've established a firm root system. At least, that has been my personal experience + my personal logic about it.

I have never succeeded in keeping lemon bacopa alive, despite my repeated efforts. It grows such pretty adorable purple flowers if you can get it to emerge from the water.

I'd love to trade for chameleon plant! Unfortunately my aquatic mint is taking its sweet time establishing itself and not sending out runners, grumble grumble.

I MIGHT be getting lucky with an emergent form of red ludwigia. I'm really hopeful about that one, but we'll see. Like bacopa, it's one that I've made repeated failed attempts at cultivating.

Water celery does expand like crazy, so you would have to be constantly dividing it, I bet. The variety I have certainly never got to be that tall, though. It's max height is supposedly ten inches: https://www.pondplantsonline.com/pr...oenanthe-javonica-flamingo?variant=8517441029

Pennywort will also spread like crazy, and you might have to be pulling it out all the time by the roots. As for what kind I recommend, I say whatever you think is prettiest! I ordered the variegated kind once because it was gorgeous, but it never took. I am not sure what variety I ended up with (or even the variety I have now, for that matter, which was a "weed" that came with my other plants).

 

[Phaewryn]

Those actually look big enough to transplant to me--but if you can get them to grow bigger, that would probably increase the odds of them rooting enough to survive over winter. I have taken little accidental cuttings about that size and stuck them in other spots in my pond to have them take and do well--but occasionally they stayed small like that and didn't survive over winter for reasons I never determined.

I'm not a gardener by any means, and have very limited experience with gardening, but one thing I would do if I were is check how firmly the roots have taken hold. If the roots are still loose, you can move the plant without causing any harm to the root system. If they have taken hold, it means that moving it risks damaging the root system. This won't necessarily kill the plant--I've done this many times myself--but it's another factor to consider. If the plant roots, it usually means it's actually pretty happy where it is. It could simply be putting in all of its energy into underground growth, like I described water celery doing. Some plants won't really send up new leaves until their satisfied that they've established a firm root system. At least, that has been my personal experience + my personal logic about it.

I'm ordering pots for the forget-me-nots now. I think I'm gonna try fabric pots this time as the kitty litter escapes out of the plastic ones with holes. I currently have nothing to plant them into out there, unless I put them beside the hosta in the same pot. I wonder if that would work? I currently have a leftover tomato in there with the hosta because I ran out of places to plant tomatoes and I feel bad throwing a good plant in the composter.

I'm thinking I'll bring half the plants inside for this winter since they have gotten such a late start. That's why I'm planting into containers, so I can bring stuff in easy. I have a foyer that's not really heated, but gets some heat from the heated room next to it that I can probably put a rubbermaid bin in for the winter. I can add an aquarium heater if needed, like I did in the pond last winter. That way if it's too cold for the stuff outside, I still have plants to put back out next spring (hopefully). Some can just go in my aquarium too (like the frogbit and any submerged plants I get between now and winter).

The marigold is only in pea gravel, so I'm not sure it wouldn't just lift out of it even if the roots have grown since there's no soil/substrate to grab. I guess I do need to get one more of the kidney planters I have now if that's going in the pond. I wish I had a way to hang them on the sides, or could figure out something to prop the planters up on on the shelf for things that need to be higher out of the water. I'l, have to skim Amazon for little black plastic crates to use as plant props. I'm worried about the jagged slate stones I'm using now poking through the liner long term. Maybe I will make a new post asking for recommendations on things to use that are black for putting plants on in a small pond. Milk crates are way too big for this pond's little shelves, I just need something between 4-6". I suppose I could make gravel bags out of black canvas, fill them with pea gravel. Would also give a place for beneficial bacteria to grow and I could make them any size and shape I need. You heard of anyone doing anything like that?

 

[Mmathis]

Good idea about fabric pots for the forget-me-nots, as they can be invasive if you let them get out of hand.

 

[Lisak1]

If that marsh marigold takes, it will overcome your pond. Mine is about 3 feet by 3 feet and just keeps getting bigger every year.

 

[Mmathis]

If that marsh marigold takes, it will overcome your pond. Mine is about 3 feet by 3 feet and just keeps getting bigger every year.

I’m jealous! I can’t get it to survive here — too hot for an extended time

 

[Lisak1]

I’m jealous! I can’t get it to survive here — too hot for an extended time

It looks rough here when it gets really hot, so I can see that it wouldn't do well in your climate.

 

[Mmathis]

It looks rough here when it gets really hot, so I can see that it wouldn't do well in your climate.

I tried for 2 or 3 seasons, and read where they will “die back” during the summer heat, so knew what I was getting into. Was always optimistic. But when I would look for the plants later, I never found them, and assumed they had been reclaimed by nature.