What will grow here?

[MrB]

Hello, I have a new pond (1000g) and am looking into plants. My question is, what grows here? The zone map says I'm in zone 6. Flowering plants would be a plus.

 

[poconojoe]

I'm in zone 6b, northeastern PA, so my location is similar.
I like plants that are winter hardy. They come back every year bigger and better. And you get your money's worth with them.
One plant we love is the Marsh Marigold. It sits on a shelf in our pond. It has beautiful yellow flowers and winters over with no problem. It gets bigger every year.
We have a lot of cool looking mosses growing on the rocks, especially in and around the water fall. We also have Lizard Tail and Iris in the pond. They also survive all year.
Creeping Jenny can survive if it's planted in the soil around the pond.
Some of the floating plants such as water hyacinth and water lettuce are nice but won't survive the winter.
These are just a few. Other members here will chime in I'm sure.

 

[poconojoe]

Oh, we stick Parrot's Feather in between the rocks too. No soil, just the roots in the water. They don't survive the winter.
Lily's are great, but I haven't had luck with them. Mostly because I don't have a suitable depth to plant them and my fish eat the stems.

 

[MrB]

Thanks poconojoe, I found a zone map and I am 6b as well. Eastern Washington. The state, not DC.

 

[poconojoe]

Check the online sellers. They will have pictures, description and growing parameters of all sorts of plants. The Pond Megastore or Live Aquaria are two I can think of, but there are many. Even some on Amazon or Ebay.
Its a good way to get an idea what you might like or will work for your zone.
Tropical plants will be fine for the summer, but won't survive your winters. You'll have to pull the out in the fall. You don't want any rotten debris messing up your water. You might try to save them by bringing them indoors. I haven't had luck with that myself. I just toss them.

 

[MrB]

Oh, we stick Parrot's Feather in between the rocks too. No soil, just the roots in the water. They don't survive the winter.
Lily's are great, but I haven't had luck with them. Mostly because I don't have a suitable depth to plant them and my fish eat the stems.

Oh, we stick Parrot's Feather in between the rocks too. No soil, just the roots in the water. They don't survive the winter.
Lily's are great, but I haven't had luck with them. Mostly because I don't have a suitable depth to plant them and my fish eat the stems.

Hey, since you brought up fish I have a question on that too. I have Goldie's in my home tank and I know that no plant will survive long in there. So, how do plants do in the pond with Goldie's? My pond is 2 ft deep with no gravel or soil in it currently. Of course, I can always put that in.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Hey, since you brought up fish I have a question on that too. I have Goldie's in my home tank and I know that no plant will survive long in there. So, how do plants do in the pond with Goldie's? My pond is 2 ft deep with no gravel or soil in it currently. Of course, I can always put that in.

Permit me to jump in...I also keep goldfish indoors with the following plants: Anubias, Java Fern, Java Moss, water sprite, Jungle Val (Vallisneria) and Echinodorus (Amazon swords). The goldfish don't bother these plants at all. My indoor goldfish pond also had umbrella palm and Red Mangroves.

 

[MrB]

Good news then. All I know is when I tried it they kept them picked clean. I don't even remember what I put in. Some trial pack I got. Just throw them in and watch them grow! I tried everything. In the gravel, in a pot, in the rocks even but the fishes just said, nibble, nibble. Good to know there's some out there they don't like. Thanks

 

[addy1]

Oh, we stick Parrot's Feather in between the rocks too. No soil, just the roots in the water.They don't survive the winter

My parrots feather comes back every spring. I never potted it. This is this year and this little pond froze solid (no fish)

 

[j.w]

I seem to now have more luck w/my Parrots Feather w/sticking them a big pot of kitty litter (the 100% clay kind w/o perfume or additives). It also stays put better and is thriving now. Before when I had it stuck in the rocks and free floating it didn't come back each year as well. Funny how things work different for each of us but as long as it works I'm happy! Mare's tail is coming back too in a pot,yay.

 

[poconojoe]

J.w.
I'll have to try your idea of putting Parrots Feather in kitty clay litter. Maybe it will survive the winter as yours does.
I know that Creeping Jenny survives if it's planted in the surrounding soil. I'll try the Jenny in clay also.

 

[poconojoe]

B RADS,
You can buy or make floating nets to protect your floating plants from the fish. I usually do this temporarily until they multiply enough to let them go freely. They are basically a black net with black styrofoam sewn around the top. I bought them on Amazon, but some members make them.

 

[tallyjakepack1]

B RADS,
You can buy or make floating nets to protect your floating plants from the fish. I usually do this temporarily until they multiply enough to let them go freely. They are basically a black net with black styrofoam sewn around the top. I bought them on Amazon, but some members make them.

My crazy Koi actually got to the plant roots by pushing up the netting.

 

[poconojoe]

My crazy Koi actually got to the plant roots by pushing up the netting.

I see my koi poking under the net too. I'm not sure if it helped, but I tied a large fishing weight onto the bottom of the net to keep it down.

 

[MrB]

B RADS,
You can buy or make floating nets to protect your floating plants from the fish. I usually do this temporarily until they multiply enough to let them go freely. They are basically a black net with black styrofoam sewn around the top. I bought them on Amazon, but some members make them.

Good idea, sounds a whole lot better than that guy in that movie that got his shotgun out and started shooting at the fish. Haha