How do you put pots on an slope?

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Long story short. I wasn't able to do the work myself and they ran into some small pvc pipe in the process. The pond is sloped on one side opposite the fall. How do you put pots on the slope? I want some lilies and the ledge I have is not deep enough. I'm thinking something to offset the pot on the end that's tilting.
 

oldmarine

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If you want them to sit level, you can't put potted plants on a slope. On the otherhand, If you can make a weighted, wedge with the right angle that won't slide into the deep, then you're on to something functional.
 

oldmarine

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Hey, I remenber filling sand bags,....hundreds of them. Sorry, had a flash back. Sand bags, even small home made sand bags would be your best bet. You can sqwish them around to fit your need, or wedge.

Thanks Koillector, great idea.
 
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I guess this depends upon how steep your slope is.

I like to use rocks. Since I live in rural Arizona, rocks are easy to find along our desert highways. For a shallow slope, I look for flat oblong rocks that are one inch or less thick. For a steeper slope, I look for rocks shaped like wedges that have a relatively flat angled side and a flat top. The angled side goes down with the flat side up. Pressure from the potted plant holds the rock in place while supporting the container.

If you don't live in an area with an abundance of rocks, use bricks. Bricks can be cut to accommodate your needs.
 
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What about rubber door stops. They are made to wedge under a door to hold it open. It would work similar to a shim under your pot.
 
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How big of an angle are we talking about?

I have a shallow end where it's basically a ledge/stair so you can get in and out easily. It starts at 18" deep and goes all the way to 4 feet deep. The pond is 20 feet long so it gradually gets deeper. Both of my plant ledges are flat surfaces. Just my submerged plants like the water lily will be on the slope. I thinking square baskets weighed down really well with large rocks might do the trick.
 
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I have a shallow end where it's basically a ledge/stair so you can get in and out easily. It starts at 18" deep and goes all the way to 4 feet deep. The pond is 20 feet long so it gradually gets deeper. Both of my plant ledges are flat surfaces. Just my submerged plants like the water lily will be on the slope. I thinking square baskets weighed down really well with large rocks might do the trick.


If you put the rocks beneath your substrate (clay, cat litter, pea gravel, etc), it will work. Might not even need the rocks if your 'pots' are large and stable. I have too many lilies for my ledges and I had to 'suspend' a couple from the bank. I used clear or green thick string trimmer twine (3 strands placed equidistant around the pot) to do this. Helps me also when I want to sink them for winter or do any pruning. You notice the string at first but I hide the bulk beneath my pond edge rocks (and use a long spike into the ground for a tie point) and once some algae grows on the submerged portions, you can't tell they're there. This would also work for any 'slope' which is not flat as you've outlined, to keep them from sliding into deep water.

Michael
 
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I have mine planted in oil change pans (about a dollar each)and dish washing pans. They sit on a slope with no problem. I don't use soil, I use kitty litter. When I first put them in, the water stirs up the litter but after a few minutes it's fine. I pull the pans out in the fall using a rake, cut the lilies down and push them back into deeper water. I have never had one tip and the slope is pretty steep.
 
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Lily pots should be fine on the bottom - they get pretty heavy when the plants start to grow. But a well placed rock should stop any slide if it happens. Rocks are like the duct tape of the pond world - they fix all kinds of things!
 
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I have mine planted in oil change pans (about a dollar each)and dish washing pans.

I plan on using kitty litter also. Where do you find the oil change pans at? Is there a reason I should keep my lillies in the deep end for winter? Right now they're in the shallow end. This is my first year wintering my pond so any advice is greatly appreciated!
 

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