Water lettuce and hyacinths - several questions.

[Beth_B]

My still pond is only 5 days old (filled with water) but I've added several plants and so far all are thriving and growing.
Today I bought two water lettuce plants and a water hyacinth and just dropped them in the water.
How fast will they grow in my zone (6a, maybe 3 hours of direct sun and then mostly dappled sun and shade.)
Do I need fertilizer? So far my other plants are a Lowes bagged lily, some unknown reeds from a nearby lake, and wet-foot hostas and ferns. All doing very well just a few days in.
Pond store tells me I have no chance in heck of keeping the lettuce and hyacinth alive over winter. True? They were cheap (three for ten bucks) so not a big deal either way. Except I don't like seeing things die and like a challenge.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Pond store tells me I have no chance in heck of keeping the lettuce and hyacinth alive over winter. True?

I've heard of some people doing it successfully, but I imagine it was a lot of work to keep them alive. In my zone it's hard enough just keeping them alive all summer.

 

[tbendl]

I had 1 water hyacinth survive the winter but we have much milder winter's than you do.

 

[Beth_B]

Thanks guys. I suppose it's no big deal, they were three for a dollar at the pond supply store so if I have to replenish every spring that's OK. May bring some inside for winter and see what happens.

 

[brokensword]

Beth,

I've tried to keep WL and Hyacinths alive with some small success. The first year, nada; all died. This second year, I threw some (WL) in with a couple of small turtles I didn't want to have outside this last winter, mostly so they could absorb the turtle waste and act as mini filters. I figured if any survived, good for me. Well, my 30 gallon turtle aquarium ended up covered with small versions of what I had last summer. I did have one hyacinth but that more or less deteriorated by spring, though I just threw the last bit in the pond a couple of weeks ago, just to see if it would revive. I think the key is higher light and warmer temps, esp for the hyacinth, if you're going to overwinter. BUT! in saying all this, the cost is so minimal for new ones each spring, I've come to the conclusion it isn't worth the effort (esp in electricity costs) to do this. Once the turtles are large/old enough to survive winters(and to de-aclimatize them from their home pond where I got them) with less worry by me, I'll prob ditch the WL overwintering.

And I've found that you really need to feed hyacinths to get them to bloom. Sissy says to take the hyacinth out, soak them for a few days in a bucket containing a Miracle Gro solution, and then put them back into the pond, that this helps them to flower. I've not tried this as I don't want to have to fetch the plants in and out all the time and this summer, with small chance at getting decent blooms here in Mi, I'm going to pass on hyacinths whereas the mini WL should survive and be my version of floaters this summer.

Michael

 

[Beth_B]

Hi Michael,

I'm also in Michigan and that's what the pond store folks told me - that maybe I could get them to survive over winter in a heated aquarium and with grow lights. I do have a 100-gallon aquarium that I used with my previous, much smaller pondlet for the goldfish to winter in. However, I have neither a light nor a heater for it and don't want to fuss with all that. So I suspect I'll just be buying new every spring. The lilies will make it through the winter, I gather. And probably also the reeds from the lake and possibly the hostas too. I'll be going back to the pond store shortly when they have the rest of their plant inventory in and see what other perennials they might have. Thanks for the fertilizing tip, too!

I've yet to put my fish in the pond and it's still a bit nekkid because I don't yet have enough rocks to put all the way around it but I'm really enjoying checking it out every day.

 

[brokensword]

This the pond place off I-275 near Monroe? If not, you should visit!

I hear you re a bit nekkid; I planted some tulips and other spring bulbs last autumn all so I'd have SOMETHING around the pond to occupy all that nekkid-ness before the pond plants and other perennials kick in! You'll have no problem with any hardy waterlilies (as long as they're below the ice line) and hostas. Reeds should be good too. I have a couple of 'tropicals' which I try and overwinter but it's not easy. Parrot's Feather is an easy one to keep and I got the pennywort to live, while the Taro needed a lot higher light output this year (and is in the best shape yet after 3 years of trying!) while the bacopa struggles. I think I lost my water clover and sensitive plant, but we'll see; they're outside now that it's warm enough and the threat of freezing is over, so hopefully they come back. If not, pond place here I come...

The fish being active really helps alleviate the fact so much of the pond is still a way from filling in; you should put your fish in, if you can!

Michael

 

[Beth_B]

I don't want to risk putting in my fish too soon - it's a still pond, no filter (had luck with a much smaller version for seven years now) so I want to get the plants going and the temps to warm up a bit before butting my fish in. I am taking in a water sample to the pond place when I go back later this week and then perhaps buying a couple of feeder fish as canaries in the coal mine. The pond is about 4x8 and I'm guessing about 30" at the deep end. I have the rocks from my previous little bitty 55 gallon Rubbermaid pond but need lots more. I've been scouring craigslist for freebies and cheap, but haven't lucked out yet. I may break down and go buy from one of the big landscaping yards because I'm eager to get more planting done!

Nope, not that pond place, Mike. I'm up in Genesee county and the people at Aqua Creations have been extremely helpful with advice. They're in the middle of moving to a new locations and didn't have much inventory yet when I stopped by previously.