Question on putting plants into baskets.

[koiguy1969]

these pix are early june in Michigan..we still had snow in April !! no soil, no fertilizer, just peagravel and 1" river rock in pots with holes drilled in sides for water flow...roots feed directly in water.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=171
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=172
April pic:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=541&d=1239015994

 

[j.w]

I tried the pea gravel set up and mine didn't do well at all. Hardly any pads or flowers. Maybe not enough poo in my pond............don't know. Just know w/ the compost and Osmocote things are blooming like crazy. I guess it's whatever works for each one of us is good :banana:

 

[koiguy1969]

did you totally remove all of the initial planting media (clay usually) right down to clean bare roots?

 

[j.w]

Yessirree bob, and I had all the plants in a big tub of water and I even put one of those fertilizer tabs in each pot and the pots all had holes in them. I put weed cloth in the pots so the rocks wouldn't fall out. I don't have very many fish in my pond tho. Pond is 2500 gals and only had about 12 small fish in there at that time. :banana:

 

[DrDave]

I think the lack of fish waste load is why your pea gravel didn't work for you. I have used it for years with great success and I never fertilize anything inside my pond.

 

[j.w]

That was prolly it but I also think the gravel was much heavier to lift outta the pond as my pots were kinda big and really hard to get out :banana: How big of pots do you use and how often do you have to repot or do you?

 

[DrDave]

Pot size is not important. I have all sizes, from 4" x 4" to 1' x 3'.

 

[koiguy1969]

mine are all in oil change pans...$1.79 @ Meijers

 

[oldmarine]

I have four 55 gallon drums for $10.00 from a local guy here in town that runs a industrial laundry. I'm going to clean them up real good and cut them in half. I have started thirteen lotus from seed, and right now they are in three inch peat moss pots in a twenty gallon aquarium upstairs next to a window. The new lotus sprouts are now about eight high. I would imagine I'm going to need to get them re-potted outside real soon.

I plan on trying Freddie's and JW's composted manure, Osmocote, and steel wool formula. I will keep all posted as to how well this works for growing lotus in half drums.

Happy ponding,

Rich :afro:

 

[j.w]

I'm hoping your plants grow well for you and you will like the mixture of compost etc. and would love to see pics sometime :afro:

 

[jethro13]

Merlin, I have three bog areas one in my upper pond and two in my lower pond. I use good old Indiana gray clay its a heavy soil that stay's put and doesn't color the water. I also use the same soil in my water lilie's. I pull the lilies up twice a season and fertilize them and everything grows and blooms like mad.

 

[jethro13]

Merlin, I wanted to add that all of my bog plants are planted directly into the clay with rocks about the size of baseball's foamed in place along the edge were the bog meets the deep water. Also I have used various kinds of baskets fo my lilies and started using plastic 12'' hanging basket planters when they outgrew the smaller baskets.This work good for the first year But last year when I went to lift and move them closer to the water's edge the plastic and the metal hooks broke because of the weight. This years solution------ repotted in 13qt. stainless steel buckets with stainless handles. They will last forever and I can reach out with my hook.grab the handle and bring them in close for service. I just wish I Had joined the forum before I done this so I could have tried out J.W. and Freddies soil receipe. There's alway's next year