How to anchor Parrot Feather

[420benz]

Just received a bunch or these plants and want to anchor them to the bottom of the pond.
Thanks

 

[Tula]

I'm interested also. I've found my parrot's feather grows best along the surface of the water and am interested in learning how deep the roots can be planted.

 

[Mmathis]

I think that Parrot’s feather does well (better?) tucked into and around rocks and crevices just below the water surface. The stems will root in place. That’s where I have mine. I read once that if PF is planted deeper (which it can be), the section of the “stem” that grows up, toward the surface won’t have the feathery appearance. Once it reaches the surface, that part will be feathery. I don’t grow mine from the bottom any more, but when I did it, I put it in a small pot filled with pea gravel.

 

[420benz]

Thanks

 

[Stephen Noble]

Just received a bunch or these plants and want to anchor them to the bottom of the pond.
Thanks

To answer your question, you can do it a couple of ways. One way is to use plastic mesh from a hobby store and gently place the stems individually through the slots. Space them about two inches apart. Cover the mesh with substrate or use some small rocks to hold it down. Another method is to take a plastic cover (type used to store food like a pie cover) and drill holes in it. If you only want a couple of plants rooted, cut the bottom out of a couple of large plastic cups, punch a hole in the middle, stick the plant in and hold it on the pond's bottom with a rock.
Having said that, you will have to be very diligent to keep the plants separated so light can reach them. And, they will probably lose their lower leaves (which is not all bad) if light is not getting down to the lower level of the pond. Good luck,
Stephen

 

[420benz]

Thanks Again

 

[Ronfire]

Just looked up Parrot Feather and found it is an invasive species here in B.C..
Will have look for some.

 

[addy1]

I just stuck mine in a pot with some kitty litter. The bottom of the plants are around a foot down below water level, some deeper. The plants grow up and float on the surface of the water.
My plants that were had the roots deeper survived the cold of last winter, the shallow ones died.

 

[j.w]

I think that is why I have less Parrots Feather every Spring cuz I don't have any planted down deep. Guess I will be getting out there now and fixing that issue. The ones I have are just tucked in-between and under some rocks in water around the top edge of the pond and they freeze over winter. Will have to put some rocks in the pots to keep those pesky goldfish from digging around in it.