Replanting Pond Cattails

[Davidless]

Hi All,

I need some advice on replanting my pond cat tail plants. They are out growing their small 3 x 4 inch pot. I currently have them placed just below the water surface and they seem to be doing ok. I would like to replant them in a longer rectangular type of pot, similar to a flower planter. Something like 8 inches wide by 18 inches long. This way they will fit on my 8 inch wide coping pond edge. My have to make something out of polycarbinate.

Do I replant similar to the lillies?, kitty litter and pea gravel? How deep can I realy go with these type of plants?

Our winters in WNY don't usually get below zero, if it does, its only for a week or so. Unlike central N.Y. or upstate where the temps can get to minus 20 below. The region number for our area is inaccurate. Do I remove these surface plants (perennials) for the winter or can I let them freeze solid just below the water surface?

Does anyone sell odd sized pots on the innernet?

Thanks for the help,

David

 

[addy1]

Cat tails go down to zone 5 if not lower. They will do fine over the winter. I have some dwarf ones just in pea gravel in my bog, they are doing great, also a few in kitty litter clay in the pond, just slightly below the water surface, they also are doing great.

So you can do either, they need to stay wet.

here is a site that has rectangular planters

http://www.goodiestore.com/rectangular-planters.html

 

[Davidless]

Cat tails go down to zone 5 if not lower. They will do fine over the winter. I have some dwarf ones just in pea gravel in my bog, they are doing great, also a few in kitty litter clay in the pond, just slightly below the water surface, they also are doing great.

So you can do either, they need to stay wet.

here is a site that has rectangular planters

http://www.goodiesto...r-planters.html

Andy,

Can I keep them in a shallow container rather than a deep pot, ie, the planter I will make will be approx 24 long x 4" high x 7" wide. My pond shelf isn't that deep so I need to keep the planter shallow to be under the water surface. I'm not sure how the root systems grow on these plants, probaly deep becasue they nee the support.

David

 

[taherrmann4]

David I just stick my cattails between rocks and let them go. Some of mine are in my creek with as little as 2" of water and they come back every year, they grow between and under the rocks so this helps anchor them in. They actually thrive so much that I have to go through and weed them out a couple of times a year. I would say that a 4" deep pot would be fine.

 

[Davidless]

David I just stick my cattails between rocks and let them go. Some of mine are in my creek with as little as 2" of water and they come back every year, they grow between and under the rocks so this helps anchor them in. They actually thrive so much that I have to go through and weed them out a couple of times a year. I would say that a 4" deep pot would be fine.

Thanks,

David

 

[addy1]

mine are in my bog, pea gravel, the bog froze last year and the plants came back, like tmann says they will be fine.

 

[KennethO]

They don't have to be below the water, just moist soil so the roots stay wet. So you can get a window planter box like what your discribing and just drill a few holes in it to make sure water can get in.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

My dwarf cattails never did very well in the original container, but this year I cut them free and planted them in pea gravel with a couple inches of water over them. Wow did they take off! I have not yet seen any actual cattails, but the plant itself is growing like crazy and looks really great. I'm going to have to get a lot more of these and plant them everywhere around the pond next year.

My lesson in all this -- cattails do NOT like to be root-bound. Give them lots of room to grow, and they will do much better.

Oh... I'm also in zone 5, and we usually get about a week every Winter where the temperatures are approaching -20F... cattails survive just fine.

 

[taherrmann4]

I caution you on planting too many of these as they will take over your pond and you will be pulling these out daily. I put them in my creek and now regret it as they had taken over sections and I had to spend hours trying to get them out, if you leave just one root they will regrow.​