Suggestions for pond plant tools

[Chumley]

i don't think I will be able to get in and out of my pond too easily. I would appreciate hearing some recommendations for tools to prune, inserting plant fertilizer, grabbers, etc. thanks

 

[mrsclem]

Inexpensive pond tools- This is a thread I started showing how I made pond tools from kids garden tools. Pvc pipe with a hook screwed in is great for grabbing your lilies and moving them out of the pond.

 

[Lisak1]

If you can't get IN the pond, it's far easier to bring the pots OUT of the water to work on them - especially when dealing with fertilizer. It can take both hands to work the fertilizer into a lily pot once those tubers get growing. I've seen people rig up their pots so they can lift them up out of the water and then lower them back in when they are finished. You could put two holes on opposite sides and tie a rope to the pot or choose a pan with a lip big enough to pull the pot up to the surface with some kind of hook on a pole and then pull it out of the side. I can grab most of my pots with a garden rake to move them around the pond or get them close enough to grab. Be aware though that lilies especially can get very heavy!

There are clippers designed for reaching into the pond to cut away dead pads and blossoms. I just find it hard to see what I'm doing if I'm not in the water with the pot.

 

[Lisak1]

@mrsclem - just checked out your post. Great ideas! Especially the hook on a pole - that would be most handy!

 

[mrsclem]

Thanks Lisak1- just modified that one to help reach my highbush blueberries. Some of the branches are 8-9' high so attached a piece of rope to the pole, hook the branch and pull it down and then stand on the rope. Allows for hand picking with no reaching. May have to patent it!

 

[Tula]

@cas plants his pond plants in hanging baskets, as they're easy to lift from the pond.

 

[cas]

As @Tula said, I plant my water lilies in hanging pots and then I use a stick with a hook on it to raise and lower the pots. Makes it real easy to fertilize and trim them without getting into the pond. Of course, I could still lose my balance and end up in the pond.

 

[mgmine]

I use a garden rake but heavy duty fishing line would work. The advantage to the fishing line is that you can drag the pot as deep as you want and reposition it easily. The fishing line would be invisible once its in the water. As far as trimming the plants, I do that in the fall and push them back into deeper water for the winter.

 

[adavisus]

A long sturdy bamboo pole, with a sharp knife lashed firm and parallel, effective for snipping fading waterlily stems

Slip stem between knife and pole, rotate so sharp edge cuts stem....

 

[haver79]

I have a few hanging pots also. I use a garden hoe (small triangle shaped) to pick them up by the pot hook. Works great. I have also bought a childs butterfly net and attached it to the end of an old broken rake handle. Works great for floating leaves and such. (I do have a nice expensive net but its bigger and has a very long handle and I actually use my homemade cheapie version much more.