Plants to avoid?

[Xtopher3]

I am looking to add more plants to my pond and bog...wondering what plants you thought were a good idea but wish you hadn't done it

Personally, I am looking to add sweet flag and sedge in my bog, and sweet flag in the pond...am I begging for a headache?

Also what are your must haves plants for filtration?

Love to hear your thoughts on this!!!

Thanks in advance

 

[mrsclem]

I just pulled a ton of water celery out of my bog. It completely took over and choked out all my other plants. Yellow water iris can take over as well.

 

[Mmathis]

Aquatic mint and a type of aquatic 4-leaf clover can take over the pond!

 

[brokensword]

cattails

 

[addy1]

I am looking to add sweet flag and sedge in my bog, and sweet flag in the pond.

Sweet flag, love the smell, sends out tubers and can become invasive. I yank it out all of the time. It is trying to take over the other iris I have. I am working on removing it from the bog. I would pot it for some control. It grows faster than the other iris.

 

[Lisak1]

Name a plant that won't take over if you let it... I'll wait.

There aren't many. That's what plants are meant to do - take over. Some are easier to control, like watercress - super easy to pull up by the armful. But anything you plant needs to be watched for signs it's getting too big. And it's also important in a bog to have some of those plants that put down deeper roots. You just need to pay attention.

 

[seandelevan]

Name a plant that won't take over if you let it... I'll wait.

There aren't many. That's what plants are meant to do - take over. Some are easier to control, like watercress - super easy to pull up by the armful. But anything you plant needs to be watched for signs it's getting too big. And it's also important in a bog to have some of those plants that put down deeper roots. You just need to pay attention.

this.

All plants will take over if you let them. Some faster than others. That’s why as a pond owner you have to play god and decide who stays and who goes. Don’t feel bad if you rip out something, chances are it will be back again.

 

[Lisak1]

chances are it will be back again.

Ain't that the truth! Honestly the only plants I have a hard time keeping are the ones that I probably shouldn't have planted in the first place. I've had things disappear completely one year and come back with a vengeance the following year.

The standard gardening wisdom for perennials is "year one they sleep, year two they creep, year three they leap". So pay attention in year two and you'll be ahead of the curve!

 

[brokensword]

Name a plant that won't take over if you let it... I'll wait.

Lithops, echinocactus, aloe vera, snake plant, jade, even pothos (though I wonder at this one, though it's growth may be relative). There, you can stop waiting.


ha, but point taken!! I just couldn't resist !

 

[Lisak1]

@brokensword - OK smartypants! You win! I should have said POND PLANT.

 

[mrsclem]

I love the look of horsetail rush. I was warned it could take over a bog and I still bought 2 small plants. They barely grew last year. This year they are coming up all through the bog.

 

[cas]

I love the look of horsetail rush.

Me too. I had mine a couple of years and it didn't grow much... at least I thought. I went to transplant it to another place in the pond and the roots were HUGE! Easily 10 times more than my little plant. Decided I didn't want to deal with those kind of roots once the plant got larger, so tossed it.

 

[Lisak1]

I love the stuff, but I keep it contained to one very small pocket of my pooling area. It's growing in gravel on top of liner so it can't get too out of control. Every other year or so I pull the whole clump up and whack it down to size again.