Water lettuce

[ididntdoit99]

Does water lettuce usually spread so fast? Usually I get water hyacinth, but this year I bought 3 water lettuce from the local Hyvee garden center because that was all they had left. 3 turned into 20 iin about a week. I took 6 of them out and brought them to my grandmothers pond because hers arent sprouting like mine are.

Then last weekend I made myself a new little filter/fountain from an old galvanized wash tub, put three of them up in there, and its about full of little ones a week later!! I haven't counted lately, but I would venture that my original 3 lettuce have easily turned into 60 now in a matter of a few weeks. Does anybody else get this stuff to grow that fast?

I know everything around my pond grows like crazy, my water iris are probably twice the size of the ones at my grandmothers place, and my cannas? (not sure, some bulbs i got from her) are almost 6 foot tall and neither my mothers or my grandmothers are that tall yet. So everything does grow fast in my pond, but these water lettuce are crazy, i wish i knew more people with ponds in the area, becasue im going to have to start killing some of these off if they continue to spread like this.

 

[KennethO]

Yep. They spread like crazy. I pull out about 500 a week.

 

[Pond Boy]

Yup they do grow like mad....

 

[j.w]

I wish mine grew like you all are talking about. It's kinda cool and rainy here now and some of the leaves are turning white and falling off. They are nice and green in the centers tho. Is it just not hot enough here for them? I've got them in a floating plant ring w/ a net on the bottom so the fish can't get at the roots.

 

[taherrmann4]

Mine don't grow that fast and my koi also help keep them in check. Now my hyacinths are growing like crazy, and they seem to do better in my creek and by my falls outside of the big pond.

 

[KennethO]

I've found that WL like partial sun or just morning sun. Full or late afternoon sun burns them up. Full sun will also turn them more yellow instead of a deep green. Hyacinths on the other hand love the sun.

As for the leaves turning white. Are they the yellow ones or nice green ones dieing? Are they mushy or dry and crunchy?

 

[j.w]

They don't have the yellow on them anymore and it seems to be just a few outside leaves that turn white and turn to nothingness. The rest of the plant seems fine. Not mushy or crunchy at all. Maybe they are still recovering from their trip here from Arizona. Hot there and cool and wet here.

 

[j.w]

I'll take some pictures and see what you think. Ok I just went out there and they do look kinda yellow still and crinkly on the edges.Can you see the white stuff? It's old dead leaves floating in the water that fall off the plant. We haven't had much sun lately.

 

[addy1]

my one little lettuce plant died, I think, have not seen it in awhile, even my parrots feather is sort of puttzing along, but the rest of my pond plants and bog plants are doing great.

 

[stroppy]

mine looked like yours last year j w .. i think its not warm enough for them here i didnt bother getting any this year

 

[KennethO]

Weather says 40degree nights. Might be a little cold. The leaves have to stay dry on the cold nights or they start to wilt and die.

 

[j.w]

Heck I can't win then cuz we get lots of rain here any time of day or night and cool weather at night also so these babies haven't got a chance. Oh well I guess I should stick to the hardy stuff from now on