More dappled shade water plants, sweet flag leaves falling over

[dinm]

I am looking to add a whole lot more plants to my pond, I have some sun to work with but not a lot. Currently have chameleon, mini horsetail (2x), actual horsetail (this one is not doing too well, its pretty much in full shade), 2x younger sweet flag, 1 small fern, 1 chameleon plant, 1 water fringe and 1 actual water lily, and there are also two mature sweet flag plants.

These mature sweet flag plants I got from a nursery about a month ago, but ever since I got them the leaves would fall over... They aren't dying but they are just falling over. I would presume this is due to them growing in full sun in nursery conditions as opposed to growing in less than 1-2hr here. The younger plants are doing quite well actually so we'll see how those work out but I think them growing in dappled shade conditions won't have the same problem, I hope anyway.

I wish I had paid more attention to shelves when building the pond, I only have 2 of them actually being usable, the rest are very steep due to amount of gravel I put to hide liner (very stupid, I should have used bigger pebbles on the vertical). Next time.

Any ideas on what I can add to the pond besides these plants I already have?

 

[Mgessert]

Can you post photos of your pond?

 

[Tula]

Our pond was built with straight sides for our koi. Now that we don't have fish, we used concrete blocks to make shelves , securing the p[lant to the edge of the pond with rope through the pool noodles around the planter.

Cement blocks are ugly, but not noticeable once plants fill in. I think we'll lower the plants a bit over the winter, then we won't see so many blocks - LOL !

 

[GBBUDD]

Our pond was built with straight sides for our koi. Now that we don't have fish, we used concrete blocks to make shelves , securing the p[lant to the edge of the pond with rope through the pool noodles around the planter.

Cement blocks are ugly, but not noticeable once plants fill in. I think we'll lower the plants a bit over the winter, then we won't see so many blocks - LOL !

You might try aquablobks as the plan grows and matures its roots will fill the block in making mini eco parion zones. And I bet in less than a year the block will be gone and roots showing out the side that in time will look like a natural stream bank very cool idea

 

[Lisak1]

Watch the chameleon plant - very very very invasive if it hits ground.

How big is your pond? Do you have room to add underwater free standing "shelves"?

 

[JBtheExplorer]

These mature sweet flag plants I got from a nursery about a month ago, but ever since I got them the leaves would fall over... They aren't dying but they are just falling over.

Assuming you live in the northern hemisphere where summer is winding down, that could also be a reason. I don't have sweet flag, but I grow Blue Flag Iris and throughout mid to late summer they slowly start leaning over more and more and by this time of year they're pretty sprawled out.

Any ideas on what I can add to the pond besides these plants I already have?

Maybe try bog bean (menyanthes trifoliata). Most sites list it as a full sun to part shade plant. Mine are in full sun, but just this past spring I found some growing in a forest where it likely would not have seen even two hours of direct sunlight a day.

 

[dinm]

Assuming you live in the northern hemisphere where summer is winding down, that could also be a reason. I don't have sweet flag, but I grow Blue Flag Iris and throughout mid to late summer they slowly start leaning over more and more and by this time of year they're pretty sprawled out.



Maybe try bog bean (menyanthes trifoliata). Most sites list it as a full sun to part shade plant. Mine are in full sun, but just this past spring I found some growing in a forest where it likely would not have seen even two hours of direct sunlight a day.

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I just think that happens because of how the nursery grew them, they were in pretty tight pots and were all staked, do not think they are supposed to grow in very small pots and very tight, they grow weak like that, just my guess. I bought some seeds myself a few weeks ago and they are sprouting now, so will be interesting to see how it goes. I think they just got rid of it to be honest cause they really seemed not the best plants in terms of how they were grown, don't mind it though, I'll just cut em up and put them in a bucket in full sun and let them grow back.

Bog bean's interesting, will look into it.

 

[dinm]

I have noticed more algae though, ever since I removed the UV lamp cover on the my filter. Thought it was gimmicks, but it actually reduces algae by a lot, like a lot. I see green popping up a lot on gravel now, as opposed to before. Reason why I have it off is cause of the seals causing it to leak, still haven't bought that again. Think it's better to keep it off for some time, healthier water for fish.

 

[GBBUDD]

A uv lack of use or using a uv isn't healthier or less so . Uv kill anything alive in the water column algae cells mostly . But that then creates food for more algae. So it's a round about cycle. Could it kill floating algae yes it does could that then dead algae be absorbed by plants yes and it will. Will it grow more floating algae yup.