Steep shelf - Keeping plants in place?

[jake_warren]

Hi everyone, first question. I'm a bit stuck here. I've just got my pump and filter set up, chlorine gone and bacteria doing its work. Trying to get some semi-aquatic plants in around the rim of my pond, but I've realised the slope is too steep for the pot to sit without falling into the deep end. The shelf I'm trying to plant on is about 6 inches wide, and varies in water depth from 6 inches to about 1 foot. Below that the pond drops another foot to a second shelf, then down another foot to the bottom.

Hoping anyone can advise on how to keep the plants anchored? I'm stuck between some sort of adhesive, a mesh to hold them in place, maybe wedges underneath the pots, or just lifting everything up and digging a new shelf (obviously the last resort!). Any help appreciated!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Well, my shelves are all covered in a layer of gravel that the marginal aquatics are planted directly into, but... if you want to keep things in pots, my first thought would be to arrange larger rocks around the pots to keep them from shifting & moving. So, I guess I'm voting for using rocks as 'wedges' under & around the containers.

 

[Lisak1]

I agree with @BKHpondcritters - create spots for the plants to sit behind or in a "bowl" of rocks so they can't slide. But better yet, get them out of the pots and planted directly in the gravel on the shelf. You can put some bigger stones on the shelf to hold them in place until they get started. Once they start growing, they'll be hard to move.

 

[jake_warren]

Wow I didn't realise it were possible for the plants to just sit in gravel. I was told they'd need to be potted in aquatic compost. That should make life a lot easier. Is this still true of my pond since there are no fish yet? Presuming the waste is where the plants will get their nutrients? Thank you both for your replies.

 

[Lisak1]

They may struggle a bit until you get fish in the pond, but they can definitely grow right in the gravel inside the pond.

 

[addy1]

pot less works, just watch for them to wander and take over........................

 

[jake_warren]

Ended up getting the pot in on the far side. I'll definitely just use pebbles and beach stones in future to hold them down. Thanks everybody!

 

[mgmine]

If it's sloping so much that a pot falls off it then it really isn't a shelf. You should consider pulling the liner back and digging it out a little more. It shouldn't be that big of a job and you'll be much happier with it over the rears.