Planting depth

[rubyduby]

I am a bit confused as to planting depths. Most of the bog plants I have purchased say planting depth is 2-6 inches. I have repotted each in 6 x 6 round fabric bags with aquatic planting medium. when they say 2-6” do they mean from the bottom of the pot to the water's surface or from the top of the soil to the waters surface? A bit confusing for a newbie I do not have a bog but put them on rocks jutting out in the pond walls...

 

[BKHpondcritters]

That usually means from the crown of the plant (so, the top of the soil, which is where the crown should be) to the surface of the water.

 

[rubyduby]

That usually means from the crown of the plant (so, the top of the soil, which is where the crown should be) to the surface of the water.

Thank you BKH. So that means that the water iris, mini cattails and Chinese lizard’s tail that I bought should all be planted under water? I thought I was supposed to have them just sitting a couple of inches in the water (2-6) like they were when I bought them...
It’s a good thing I asked!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Thank you BKH. So that means that the water iris, mini cattails and Chinese lizard’s tail that I bought should all be planted under water? I thought I was supposed to have them just sitting a couple of inches in the water (2-6) like they were when I bought them...
It’s a good thing I asked!

In my experience, iris prefer for their tubers to be just at the surface when started. Some/many of them will grow & crawl out into deeper water, though. I've never done cattails, so I can't say one way or the other for them, but my lizard tail was planted on a shelf with a good 5" or so of water over the crown. I'm sure they would be fine right up at the surface as well, though, as over the years (they took a few seasons to really get going) they have run into both deeper & shallower areas along that shelf.

 

[addy1]

I have iris (been in the pond for a few years now) some crown at water level, some in the bog, crown at pea gravel level, some in the pond crown about 4 inches below water.
Same with the lizard tails, they are mainly crown below water, anywhere from 2-6 inches down.
My mini cat tails are in the hot tub pond in a pot, kitty litter planted, about 1-2 inches of water over the litter and they are doing fine.