What is the easiest plants to grow. Floaters?

[Ouida]

There are some "mini" varieties of water lilies that might work. Remind us again....what are the dimensions and depth of your pond? If you have fish, the lily pads could offer shade for the water. Parrots feather, as others have mentioned, would be nice, as well.

The pond is really only 5x9 feet. It extends out another two feet each way with very shallow water for anything that gets in, can just walk out. My kids love all bugs, amphibians, and animals alike. So we had to make it friendly. It goes almost 3 feet down, the pump sets on a large shelf about 2.5 feet down, and then I have shelves around 10 to 12 inches down. I really do want a lilly, just not sure how to tend to them. Still reading. I figure floaters are the easiest? We have one fish in there, and I really think he needs cover, seems very scared. I have a few fake plants in there now and he stays against them.

 

[tbendl]

Lilies are super easy. I bought oil pans from wal-mart, threw them in, covered them with kitty litter and a dash of osmocote and sunk them. The only 2 things is to make sure you don't bury the eye of the lily and also to carefully sink them as sometimes they pop free and float. Once they are in the water and growing I leave them alone, only pulling the pot if I need to divide them.

 

[Ouida]

Lilies are super easy. I bought oil pans from wal-mart, threw them in, covered them with kitty litter and a dash of osmocote and sunk them. The only 2 things is to make sure you don't bury the eye of the lily and also to carefully sink them as sometimes they pop free and float. Once they are in the water and growing I leave them alone, only pulling the pot if I need to divide them.

Now that's a neat way to plant them. Kitty litter is only clay, i think. I read something about drilling or sanding the eye of the seed? But not sure.

 

[tbendl]

No, I think you're talking about Lotus. I might have some pictures from when I planted mine, or maybe it was @addy1 that had them. Yes, the kitty litter you want is the plain blue bag, no clumping or odor stuff added, just the clay.
You don't even have to add the osmocote if you don't want to.

 

[addy1]

Walmart and tractor supply carry the plain clay kitty litter. With a lily you are planting a tuber. I have never grown one from seed.

I put mine in Walmart oil pans.

Lotus seeds you sand or drill the eye of the seed to get them going, soak in water etc...........

 

[Ouida]

No, I think you're talking about Lotus. I might have some pictures from when I planted mine, or maybe it was @addy1 that had them. Yes, the kitty litter you want is the plain blue bag, no clumping or odor stuff added, just the clay.
You don't even have to add the osmocote if you don't want to.

Ok, well that seems simple enough. I think it will look so much nicer with plants. Thanks for the info.

 

[CometKeith]

My last pond was very similar to what you described. I sank a few pots of lilies to the bottom in the center of the pond and after a few years my lillies were massive with lots of flowers and leaves. I eventually had to drain the pond and when I did there was a massive root ball of like 3x3 ft that was 1 foot thick all from those two tiny planters I put in.

 

[teeemkay]

I have had good luck with irises and also corkscrew rush in my pond. I planted them in plastic pond plant baskets with pond plant media. The top of the baskets are about 2-3" under the water's surface.

 

[tbendl]

For some reason my rush isn't doing very well. Maybe it gets too much sun or is too low in the water. I am planning on pulling it this summer and repotting to see if it helps.

 

[sissy]

I just used sand paper and sanded the ends off .Then I put them in my kitchen window and change the water everyday until they sprout

 

[Ouida]

My last pond was very similar to what you described. I sank a few pots of lilies to the bottom in the center of the pond and after a few years my lillies were massive with lots of flowers and leaves. I eventually had to drain the pond and when I did there was a massive root ball of like 3x3 ft that was 1 foot thick all from those two tiny planters I put in.

Wow, I had no idea they could get that massive. That must have been a ton of work to get under control. You must have a perfect environment for them. I guess the fish were happy too.

 

[CometKeith]

I didn't really do much other than pull out a few stems when the lilies covered too much of the pond. Eventually as it got bigger I cut down on floaters because they weren't needed as much. By droppoing it to the bottom at the deepest part I think they got a lot of nutrients from the bottom. At first I was worried that because at 3-4 ft deep the leaves and flowers would't come to the surface but that was really never a problem. I moved as much as I could of it to my new pond. We will see how it does but it's a lot less roots and tubers.

 

[Lisak1]

also corkscrew rush in my pond

@teeemkay does your corkscrew rush come back every year?

Left to their own devices, lilies will overtake any pond! They are super easy to grow and really make a pond feel like a "pond" if that makes sense! In your pond @Ouida you probably don't need more than one or two potted waterlilies to get lots of surface coverage. Depending on the variety, the pads can spread out over six feet! Sounds like @tbendl is gonna get you set up!

 

[tbendl]

I just moved a boatload of parrots feather so @Ouida if you want, IM me the size of the box and your address and I will get you some shipped out.

 

[Ouida]

I just moved a boatload of parrots feather so @Ouida if you want, IM me the size of the box and your address and I will get you some shipped out.

Yes, I'd love some. Hopefully I did this right and just messaged you. Can't wait to have some cover for the new fishes.