Possible use for creeping jenny?

[chibae]

Okay, I have been reading through lots of threads here. The one thing that jumped out at me was people putting creeping Jenny in their ponds. My small pond has had a pea soup bloom, first time in a few years. I have ordered more plants to add to my current ones. In the meantime I have been using a sun shade over it.
Now to my question. I am plagued with creeping Jenny. My home's prior owner landscaped with it. How can I go about adding it to the pond, at least as a temporary measure? Do I just add cuttings and they root/ grow in water like a pothos houseplant?

 

[Mmathis]

Do you have rocks that are partially in and out of the water? You can stick cuttings between rocks. BTW, having plants with roots in direct contact with the water is an excellent solution.

 

[chibae]

Thank you..I do have floating plants with roots directly in the water.

 

[Lisak1]

Creeping Jenny doesn't technically grow IN the pond so much as it grows AROUND the pond. Some may creep into the water, but it's really a ground cover plant.

If you're looking for in the pond plants, you'll want reeds, rushes, irises, etc. that can actually grow with roots in the water. Or one of my favorites that many people don't think of is hostas - they grow great directly in the pond as long as you keep the crown of the plant out of the water.

ALSO - consider WHY you have pea soup water. It's a symptom that something is out of balance. Too many fish? Overfeeding? Too much dead plant matter over winter in the pond? Address the cause, not the symptom.

 

[chibae]

Creeping Jenny doesn't technically grow IN the pond so much as it grows AROUND the pond. Some may creep into the water, but it's really a ground cover plant.

If you're looking for in the pond plants, you'll want reeds, rushes, irises, etc. that can actually grow with roots in the water. Or one of my favorites that many people don't think of is hostas - they grow great directly in the pond as long as you keep the crown of the plant out of the water.

ALSO - consider WHY you have pea soup water. It's a symptom that something is out of balance. Too many fish? Overfeeding? Too much dead plant matter over winter in the pond? Address the cause, not the symptom.

"Creeping Jenny doesn't technically grow IN the pond so much as it grows AROUND the pond. Some may creep into the water, but it's really a ground cover plant."

Creeping jenny, to me, is an invasive ground cover that drives me crazy removing it from the gardens, my foundation walls, etc. The prior owners grew it among the foundation plantings for the house and any where they decided to put flagstone mini-walls. Reading about folks using creeping jenny had me thinking it would be a quick way to add plants/roots until my floaters fill in.

"If you're looking for in the pond plants, you'll want reeds, rushes, irises, etc. that can actually grow with roots in the water. Or one of my favorites that many people don't think of is hostas - they grow great directly in the pond as long as you keep the crown of the plant out of the water."

Due to the small size I am working with I tend to grow plants that are floating annuals such as hyacinth and lettuce.

"ALSO - consider WHY you have pea soup water. It's a symptom that something is out of balance. Too many fish? Overfeeding? Too much dead plant matter over winter in the pond? Address the cause, not the symptom."

The pond basically was closed down last fall. A neighbor's cat, along with a raccoon, caught on camera, fished out the goldies and local frogs. Annual plants were removed and composted. Then we had the coldest winter since I moved here five years ago. This spring I emptied it, cleaned it, put a grate over the top (fixed down) with large enough squares for the frogs, and refilled it. First algae bloom came before my plants did. Treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for four days. I have been adding floating plants as they come available, using mail order. Right now they cover about 50% of the surface. Until more come in I have been using a shade umbrella when the sun is at it's strongest. The pond also has a fountain. No fish in there yet. I will be getting a water test kit to help keep an eye on things. From my reading, this is a normal new pond occurrence, particularly in spring. This morning I can see some clearing of the water. I have also, based on reading, going to try and be hands off as long as it is clearing. No chemicals, no panic.

 

[Lisak1]

You nailed it - new pond syndrome. The cure? Patience. Also - be careful not to cover too much of the surface of the water.

Creeping Jenny will, well, creep. Its in the wort family which is a "BEWARE OF CREEPING" family of plants. But I don't find it hard to yank out where I don't want it. Maybe in your zone it has a longer growing season and gets more invasive.

 

[GBBUDD]

i'll take creeping jenny over Charlie any day. Though when charley flowers it's tiny purple cluster its not hard on the eyes.

 

[chibae]

I dug some cj (that was my Morgan's nickname), potted it and arranged it so the "creepers" are over hanging the water. Could be worse, my neighbor is fighting vining vinca.

 

[Lisak1]

It's the gardener's lament - many plants that do well in a zone do REALLY WELL and the ones you can easily contain struggle to survive. Ground covers in particular will go where they want.

 

[GBBUDD]

It's the gardener's lament - many plants that do well in a zone do REALLY WELL and the ones you can easily contain struggle to survive. Ground covers in particular will go where they want.

Yup and for once I know when I'm beat the creeping Charlie tamed me.

 

[Lisak1]

My neighbor has a backyard that's nothing BUT creeping charlie. He does nothing to address it so it creep creep creeps under my fence. I battle it all summer long with my string trimmer!

 

[GBBUDD]

What can I do it owns the back yard. It gets the lawn mower and just grows short it's the perfect plant. If it was edible it would be number 1

 

[chibae]

At my prior house the next door neighbor made herself a little grove of sassafras seedlings. She was so proud and happy with her handy work. Then she added vining, invasive, varigated vinca. She got very upset with me when I tore out the vinca. I told her she had two choices, be quiet and never plant an invasive ground cover there again, or I will remove the sassafras seedlings. Seems she forgot that "her" grove was on my property. This was not the first time, over the years that I have had a neighbor gardening "over the line'. Unless it is a problem, like the vinca, I just make them aware and let them enjoy their gardens. My current home has three sides surrounded by woods about 20 feet deep beyond the lawn area. My property includes these wooded areas. The fourth side is the street. No worries now about encroaching gardens.

 

[addy1]

I am with you @GBBUDD , creeping Charlie i fought for years. My neighbor's husband strip mowed their land poor grass let Charlie get a foot hold. It creeped all over my land. Neat smell when you mow it. My grass is winning the battle, but not everywhere.

Now he wants good grass, I told him don't mow your land at the inch level.

The bees love the flowers, I have quit trying to remove, ie gave up. Prefer creeping jenny any day it a slow creeper.

 

[GBBUDD]

Prefer creeping jenny any day it a slow creeper.

And easy to pull out