Marsh Marigold and Creeping Jenny planting questions

[Phaewryn]

I purchased a Marsh Marigold and Creeping Jenny plant and I plan to plant them directly into my cascades which are filled with pea gravel (kinda bog-like, but in preformed cascades, so no access to soil, just preformed segments filled with pea gravel). The Marsh Marigold's planting instructions say "moist well-drained soil to water up to 2 inches". Does this mean that I should have the green parts of the plant under water 2", or is it better to add more pea gravel to raise the surface of the gravel closer to the water level so the plant's green parts grow above the water line? Same question for the Creeping Jenny, best planting scenario for that? It says moist soil or water up to 1" deep. It's easy enough for me to add more pea gravel to these cascades to bring the gravel higher and water level lower so the plants are above water if that's better. Should I do that, or just plant them in the current 3" gravel with 1-2" water over the top of it? The preformed cascades are about 4-5" deep (the top tier is 5" and that's where the Marsh Marigold will go, and the middle cascade is 4" deep and that's where the Creeping Jenny will go), so I can add up to that much gravel for depth for the roots, but if I add 4-5" of gravel, the plants will be totally out of the water, just the roots will be under the water/gravel. I assume that's fine since they want "well drained/moist soil", but what's best for each of those? I don't understand pond or plant lingo (like "wet feet": which I assume that means the roots [the parts currently under potting soil] are underwater but the green stem part isn't? Or "crown": I assume means the soil line in the pot they came in or where it turns from green stem to white roots?), so please be descriptive using measurements (like "raise gravel line by 1" so there are 4" gravel and 1" water") or show me on a diagram like below which shows how the plant came (Marsh marigold in this case), potted in potting soil, and how it would be planted in my cascade with pea gravel as it is now with about 3" gravel and 2" water.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

You are correct - the 'crown' of the plant is the place where green top growth (stems) begin, right at the top of the roots (basically the potting soil line in your first picture) So, for your Marsh Marigold you could have a max. of 2" of water above that point (just like in your picture) It also would be fine for you to add more gravel so the crown is right at the surface with no standing water on top (or anywhere in between these places) The creeping jenny would probably be happiest with enough gravel added (1 - 2") so it's crown is right at or with just a tiny bit of water over the top.

Does this help and/or make sense?

 

[Phaewryn]

I took some videos. Does this look right? Is the depth good? Too much turbulence? I shook off most of the potting soil and put the roots directly in the pea gravel. I'm sure the creeping jenny will have no soil on the roots in no time because there is a lot of turbulence in the water around it. I have some Seachem Flourish I can add if they need a boost to get started.
1. Video of plants in pots before planting to show how much water movement there is in the pools and how much the pots they came in stuck up out of the water
2. Video of plants planted in cascades

 

[Phaewryn]

Does this help and/or make sense?

Yes, thank you! I will put the marsh marigold a little deeper than I have it now (easy to do since pea gravel moves around so easy).

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I took some videos. Does this look right? Is the depth good? Too much turbulence? I shook off most of the potting soil and put the roots directly in the pea gravel. I'm sure the creeping jenny will have no soil on the roots in no time because there is a lot of turbulence in the water around it. I have some Seachem Flourish I can add if they need a boost to get started.
1. Video of plants in pots before planting to show how much water movement there is in the pools and how much the pots they came in stuck up out of the water
2. Video of plants planted in cascades

Looks great! The marsh marigold would be happy just the way you have it, but getting it a bit deeper would be OK, too. I don't have any personal experience with creeping jenny, but the way you have it in there looks pretty much how I would have done it. With no fish in the system a bit of fertilizer wouldn't hurt any, especially in the beginning. Just don't overdo it, or you could end up with algae!

 

[Mmathis]

@Phaewryn Where are you located?

 

[Phaewryn]

@Phaewryn Where are you located?

Southern Vermont.

 

[Mmathis]

Southern Vermont.

Oh, good! I live in Louisiana. I’ve tried and tried to grow marsh marigolds many times, but our summer weather here is too brutal for them.

 

[Phaewryn]

Oh, good! I live in Louisiana. I’ve tried and tried to grow marsh marigolds many times, but our summer weather here is too brutal for them.

Added that to my profile, thanks for pointing out it was missing! They should do fine here, it barely gets any sun where it is planted (only from like 3pm-6pm), so even when it's hot here I think it will be ok. It was sold to me as a native species for this area. I really wanted to avoid poisonous plants, but my selection was limited. So just gonna keep activated carbon in the water at all times so the neighbor's cats will be safe drinking the pond water.