Mini/Dwarf cat tails

[TekWarren]

I know there is a recent topic about these but the question was specific. Mine is just a share and maybe soak up some general knowledge if anyone has some to share.

My wife's boss gave me some cattails from her tub/water garden that I potted and put in the pond this weekend. I split up the mass of roots trimmed back a lot before potting them. The only clay pots I could find this weekend on short notice where shorter 8.5" ones. I planted the CT's in generic, non-scented Meijer brand kitty litter and then placed some stones on top of that in the pots. From my research the roots can create a mess if not kept in check so I will have to make a habit of checking the pots for roots coming out the hole in the bottom and trim them off. I don't care to have a bunch of them taking over the pond so I will probably cut off the seed pods when I see them starting to burst.

I placed the pots in the shallow edge of my pond, the whole pot is submerged with maybe a couple inches of water above. I'm not sure if this is ideal but looking at the reed coloration near the base, they were previously even deeper. They are kinda cool and my hope is that I can keep them contained, small, and portable in the pots. If I can achieve this I might try another couple pots next year. I don't know if being in the pots the roots will still go crazy and cause root binding or not? I'm hoping the pots will contain the roots even if it means keeping the plants smaller/fewer.

I have some pics in my Flickr feed of what I did, also some pics of changes we are doing around the pond. Yanked out a bunch of day lillies, probably more to come out eventually to open up the corner between the house and pond for a future deck and pergola.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95980543@N05/

 

[GreatDanesDad]

I just looked at your pics! Amazing pond. Are the colors right? What are your blue'ish fish. Is that a blue and red butterfly koi? Is it possibly a Konjo Asagi or Narumi Asagi or Taki Asagi from the attached chart.

 

[addy1]

Very nice looking!

 

[Mmathis]

Your pond and surroundings look VERY nice. I guess only time will tell on the cattails, but I like what you did with them.

 

[TekWarren]

I just looked at your pics! Amazing pond. Are the colors right? What are your blue'ish fish. Is that a blue and red butterfly koi? Is it possibly a Konjo Asagi or Narumi Asagi or Taki Asagi from the attached chart.

Actually early this spring I incompetently added way to much AquaShade to my pond turning the water pretty dark blue, which makes some of my white colored fish pictures (from early spring) look more blue than white. I only two Koi in my pond now. At one point we purchased 4 but 2 died of unknown causes and a third vanished altogether. I picked up another so I would have at least a pair and they are doing good. Neither are anything super fancy or expensive but are attractive to me. I just have an orange/black now and a couple weeks ago was lucky to find a lonely bright yellow Koi at Petsmart. The yellow guy is really cool almost glows in the water. The rest of the fish are a mix of Comets. We added 4 Shubunkin also.