winterizing pond plants

Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
282
Reaction score
7
Location
philadelphia pa
basically to winterize any perrenial pond plant you should just cut the branches back to the crown and put it in the warmest part of the pond for winter - next to the floating heater.

Correct?
 

fishin4cars

True friends just call me Larkin
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
5,195
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Hammond LA USA
Hardiness Zone
8a
Depending on the type plant, some yes, some no. Iris's, Taro, pickerel rush,etc all need to be exposed to air, not submersed in water. Either cut them back and allow them to freeze at there set depth, or bring them in to a small pool for the winter. hardy lilies, criniums, spider lilies, and plants that can grow or survive submersed should be placed in the deepest part of the pond.
 

Mmathis

TurtleMommy
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
13,893
Reaction score
8,087
Location
NW Louisiana -- zone 8b
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
fishin4cars said:
Depending on the type plant, some yes, some no. Iris's, Taro, pickerel rush,etc all need to be exposed to air, not submersed in water. Either cut them back and allow them to freeze at there set depth, or bring them in to a small pool for the winter. hardy lilies, criniums, spider lilies, and plants that can grow or survive submersed should be placed in the deepest part of the pond.
Larkin, I'd just posted something about "marginals" in general, but taro in particular. I have several taros [2 from your garden, in fact] that are currently stuck in between the liner rocks since we don't have the bog done yet. General consensus was that I'd need to pull the taros for the winter..... Of course, in my case, they aren't rooted in anything, so that makes sense as the roots & stem parts would be totally exposed.

1. We do get a little colder here than you do in winter, but not for extended periods. How do you over-winter your taros? And do you think I need to pull these? I really don't like to "fuss" over my plants, but would hate to lose these, especially my MICKEY MOUSE [since it's from YOU, and I am a big DISNEY fan!].

2. Grasses, grass-types [juncus, society garlic, horse-tail thingys, orange sedge, cat tails.....] -- are you suppose to cut those back? Have read several things. Some places say [I guess, depending on the plant] to cut back to a few inches above water level, and some say to leave all of the plant intact.

Confused as usual.......
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Post some pictures maybe I can tell you what I do if we have the same plants, we are in similar zones.

I leave my plants where they are, lilies around 2 foot down, lotus never move them, all else on their own. So far they have all come back. (hardies) Even my white star grass, not rated for our weather has come back every spring.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
28
Reaction score
21
Location
So. Jersey barrier island
I rely on the Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants by Greg and Sue Speichert. It was published in 2004 by Timberline Press and is available at Amazon USA. My own limited knowledge is that Water Willow and Golden Club can survive freezing, so they can just have the dead branches pruned back and left where they are. Water Hawthorne plants can be set low enough in pond year round so that they stay below freezing level. Lizard Tail needs to be set low in the pond so the crown doesn't freeze. My hardy water lily, a pink one whose name I don't know, is going on 35 years old, and apparently indestructible, despite everything I and the climate have thrown at it over the years. The only tropicals I have are compact papyrus, and they go out with the yard waste each fall.
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
My lizards tail is in the bog, the crown freezes solid, it has come back every year so far. I don't run any water during the winter, the bog is turned off, the water stays in the bog and freezes, I do have some in the pond, below freeze level, so if it decides to croak I can replace it.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
28
Reaction score
21
Location
So. Jersey barrier island
Well, I'm in zone 7a so I should be able to leave my Lizart's Tail so going by your experience I should be able to leave it where it is. Last year SuperStorm Sandy killed my LizardTail so I bought a new plant year. I put it in a bigger pot, but it hasn't bloomed possibly because it had a massive infestation of yellow wooly bear caterpillers. It has been putting a lot os shoots through the side of its pot. But. the pot is light enough that I can lower it to the bottom of the pond. I'm of an age where I really can't maneuver pots full of plants around in the pond, and the only really reliable and knowledgeable person who does water gardens, has raised his prices to the point I'd have to take out a reverse mortgage to hire him.

O.T. Once on the way to Gettysburg I got caught in a horrendous cloud burst, and the first exit where I could get off the interstate was at Frederick. I had a memorable night at the Barbara Fritchie Motel, and by daybreak could have happily shot that "old gray head".
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Well if you ever get stuck in frederick again, we have a spare bedroom. I have never stayed there or even heard of it, but don't look for motels in frederick.

If your lizards tail does not make it, I could send you some starts next year. Mine is doing pretty good, in the pond and bog. We dropped to 8 or so last winter, the fishless shubbie tank froze down 8 inches, so i know the bog was well frozen.
 
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
1,316
Reaction score
744
Location
Iowa
Hardiness Zone
5a
Country
United States
My lizards tail I got from CE is in a pot on a shallow shelf. Crown is above the water level. If I left it where it is I suspect it will be ice and covered in snow at least part of the winter. So it can be cut back and put lower into the pond. I am zone 5.
First summer with the pond and will be 1st winter of course.
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
You are colder than us, mine had the crown get frozen, covered in ice and some snow. It came back. Best best leave a few shallow, put the rest deep see which does the best next summer.
 
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
1,316
Reaction score
744
Location
Iowa
Hardiness Zone
5a
Country
United States
Thanks Addy, So should Lizards tail have the crown above water or should I have it a little deeper? Seems to be doing ok where it is. A little slow to get growing but still putting out new growth.
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
I have some crown above water, some crown below water a few inches, some the crown is 5 inches below water. They are doing equally good.
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Messages
40
Reaction score
12
Location
Northern Illinois
I only have hyacinth and water lettuce , nothing planted. Should these be pulled?
My pond is small, buried 110 gal livestock trough, oval, vertical sides about 30 inches deep.
Everything is doing well, 7 4-5 inch comets and koi mix. This will be my first Chicago winter
with a permanent pond installation.
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
282
Reaction score
7
Location
philadelphia pa
Ok i was finally able to get around to photographing my plants. i know to cut back the lilies and the pennywort to a nub, which i did last year, but the cattail, the tall plants by the deck the grasses etc....

BTW addy is that a water forget me not in the waterfall? i am not sure if that is what u sent me. Is so for winter do i put in the main pond and cut back?
 

Attachments

  • 20130830_171119.jpg
    20130830_171119.jpg
    120.3 KB · Views: 328
  • 20130830_171126.jpg
    20130830_171126.jpg
    89.2 KB · Views: 406
  • 20130830_171134.jpg
    20130830_171134.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 370
  • 20130830_171137.jpg
    20130830_171137.jpg
    106.4 KB · Views: 326

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
30,782
Messages
508,589
Members
13,042
Latest member
lucaryan

Latest Threads

Top