Planting pond plants
Planting plugs
- Loose plugs are often used in plant filters or swamp filters.
- These plants are best placed in pond substrate.
- Although they can be placed in baskets, this is not necessary because they have strong roots.
- Be sure to plant them no deeper than 5 to 10 cm for optimal growth.
Loose oxygen plants
- Oxygen plants are usually placed in the deeper parts of the pond, where there are no shallow areas.
- You can throw these plants directly into the pond; they don't necessarily need to be in a basket.
- Some species, such as elodea densa, often have a lead to stay in place, but this is optional.
- Make sure these plants go into the water at a depth of at least -20.
Plants in basket
- Almost all aquatic plants can be planted in a pond basket.
- This applies to many species, except for some loose oxygen plants such as hornwort and elodea densa.
- Fill the basket with pond clay and soil, put the plant in it, and cover it all with pond gravel. Place the basket in the desired location in the pond.
- Rapid growth tip: To speed up growth, first place the plants in shallow water (1-5 cm) for extra light and warmth. Once they grow well, you can place them deeper in the pond.
AQUA SET instruction
Watch the video below for step-by-step instructions.
Note: As of September 2024, you no longer need to add pond soil as shown in the video, thanks to our new substrate soil which is included in the updated AQUA SET.
Instructions
- Mix the contents of the two large bags: pond plant clay (dark grains) and pond soil substrate (light grains) well in the pond basket.
- Place the plants in the basket with the sprout facing up so that it is just above the ground.
- Press the nutrient tablet into the mixed soil, right in the center of the basket.
- Sprinkle and spread the cover gravel over the surface of the pond basket, allowing the plants to poke through.
- The pond basket is now ready to be placed in the pond.
Tip: For the first 30 days, place the pond basket at a maximum depth of 5 cm (measured from the top of the basket). This ensures that the plants get more light and warmth, so they grow faster. After this period, you can move the basket to the maximum depth indicated on the package.
Note: This applies to all pond plants: the deeper the plant is, the slower and more difficult its growth. All pond plants (except for floating plants such as water soldier, hornwort and elodea densa ) grow well at a water depth of -5 cm. So it is not necessary to place pond plants very deep.
Besides setting up the pond baskets correctly, there is more you need to consider for successful plant growth. To ensure the healthy growth of aquatic plants , it is important to plant them in calm water, place enough plants in groups for mutual support and protection, set them at the right depth, and wait to introduce fish until the plates are well developed... If you do this, you will be assured of thriving plants.
5 checks for good pond design
TIP
If you have a deep pond or large fish that eat aquatic plants , there are two effective solutions:
Pond Crates
These crates can be stacked securely and accommodate up to 6 AQUA SETS (19x19x10 cm) per crate, creating a stable environment for your plants.
plant islands
Each floating island accommodates 1 AQUA SET (19x19x10 cm) and can be linked to other islands with iron wire, allowing you to create a customizable floating structure for your plants.
- Unfortunately, a common mistake: the pond is already filled with water while the pond plants have yet to be placed. This makes it difficult or even impossible to put all the plants in a good, solid place. Simon therefore recommends starting first with a thin layer of pond substrate in an empty pond, then only letting a small layer of water into the pond. You can now step through the pond with boots on to place the aquatic plants in place in the substrate. Then top up with substrate. Is everything set and firm? Only then fill the entire pond with water.
- If you have a somewhat larger pond, it is smart to work from the inside out. So you start in the lowest zone and work outward step-by-step. You end in the shallowest zone (swamp zone).
- When placing the aquatic plants , also pay attention to what depth is best for optimal growth. This is indicated on the packaging of our pond plants. Do you like a lot of plants? Then place the baskets or crates against each other.
Frequently asked questions about planting pond plants
It happens that people place the newly purchased aquatic plants either too deep or too shallow. This is a shame, because in both cases the growth will not be optimal. This is because pond plants have a minimum and a maximum placement depth. If the plants are too shallow, it becomes too warm for the plants. The water will boil, so to speak, and the plants will scorch or fail to grow. If you place aquatic plants too deep, on the contrary, they will not get enough light and heat and no growth will occur either. So place the plants at the depth indicated on the packaging.
For many pond types, don't skimp on pond plants. Simon cannot emphasize it enough. In fact, if too few are placed together, then those few specimens will be more vulnerable. In addition, the water temperature will rise faster and the plants become more sensitive to temperature changes. The chance of algae growth increases the more you have (too) few aquatic plants in your pond. Place plenty of aquatic plants and always do this in groups. That way they reinforce each other and that provides extra protection and hold. Read how to set up your pond correctly in our step-by-step plan.
Many ponds use a filter or pump to clean the water and keep it moving. There are also pond enthusiasts who have added a fountain. We often receive questions from people who report that correctly planted pond plants do not want to grow. Often the plants are too close to the filter, pump or fountain. This is the reason the aquatic plants are not growing well. aquatic plants need calm water to grow properly. The water moves too much in its current location so that plant growth fails to grow. You can either move the pond plants, pond basket and all, to another spot in the pond, or turn the pump, filter or fountain down or off completely. If you do this, just make sure your pond is set up according to our step-by-step plan so that the water remains clear and the water values balanced.
It is a common problem among keepers of Koi's: the koi carp or other large fish often eat the pond plants. In addition, they burrow a lot and in doing so turn everything in the pond, including the bottom, upside down.
Tip: Wait to place fish until the pond plants have grown substantially. Do you already have fish in the pond? If so, choose plants that the fish don't find attractive or put them on a plant island. Another option, if possible, is to create different planting zones in the pond that keep the fish from reaching the plants. Check out our step-by-step plan for setting up a koi pond with aquatic plants.
We understand that this can be confusing. In our texts, we intentionally indicate slightly shallower placement depths. We do this because we find that many people often place plants too deep. Most plants have a maximum depth of -20 to -40 cm, but we noticed that some customers put plants as deep as -50 or even -60 cm. This is too deep and hinders growth.
By keeping a shallower guideline, such as -20 cm, in the texts, we are creating a margin of safety. The graphics have not yet been adjusted to these adjusted guidelines, and we are working to make this consistent.
So you can place your plants between -1 cm and -40 cm deep. In general, the less deep the plants are, the faster they grow and bloom during the season.
Do you have any questions about this? Feel free to let us know! 😊