Q. We have had a pond and water system for two full years now. It is a gorgeous 12-pluse foot drop into a pond. We plan to extend the pond this summer and add a stream as well. But, our problem seems to be in not being able to grow plants other than string algae. We do really well with string algae. The water hyacinths arrive green and gorgeous and within weeks they are turning brown. The lilies seem to be anemic. There is a fair amount of water movement in the pond and lots of sun. To counter the sun, I add blue dye which has helped some. Do you have any suggestions on the types of plants to add to my pond to assist with the ecosystem? And any suggestions on how to maintain the hyacinths and lilies? I would truly appreciate any help you can offer.
-Chelan, Washington
A. You don’t mention whether you have any fish in your pond and they’re key to maintaining a natural balance in the pond’s ecosystem. String algae is always heaviest in the spring because the bacteria that helps to keep it at bay are still dormant. There are a few remedies to help with algae and you can visit http://www.aquascapeinc.com/ownermanualmaintenance for a few solutions (scroll down to the section entitled Algae Control).
As far as your water lilies are concerned, do you fertilize them? Water lilies should be fertilized generously according to the fertilizer directions. Fertilizer comes in either tablets or granular form, consisting of an instant or readily available formulation, and a time-release formula, releasing nutrients at a fairly consistent rate over a given rate of time varying from 30 to 360 days. A combination of both works the best. You can fertilize your water hyacinth too. Place them in a bucket of water that has had water soluble fertilizer added to it. Leave the plants in the bucket until they begin to turn green and healthy. Before you return the plants to your pond, rinse the roots so you don’t add any unnecessary nutrients to the water.
There are a number of aquatic plants you can add to your pond, however you should include a mix of submerged, marginals, and floaters. Floaters like water lettuce and water hyacinth will help to shade your pond from the sun and feed on nutrients that would otherwise feed algae. Submerged plants also compete for free nutrients in the pond and help to “starve” algae (recommended stocking rate in the pond is one bunch per square foot). Marginals are placed near the pond’s edge and help transition your pond to its surrounding landscape. These range in size and many produce beautiful flowers. Pickerel, Rush, and Iris are just a few. A local aquatic plant retailer can help you make a good decision.
-Jennifer Zuri
Aquascape, Inc.
www.aquascapeinc.com
