Beginning Pond Plants 
 

 Where do I begin?

Q:  I'm looking into starting a water garden and I came across your site.  Water gardening seems easy but there is still very little info out there on it. As a beginner what are some very common water plants that I can find anywhere, (Home Depot, Lowes)? If the name of the plant has the word "water" in it, is it safe to assume it's a water plant?  Peter, Abundantwe.com

Consider Before You Purchase

► Your Climate Zone:  
Will you be able to keep your garden year-round?  Will you need to over-winter your plants (bring them indoors) or will you need to purchase new plants each year?

► Koi Pond or Plant Pond? 
Do you want to have koi in your pond?  If so, they do not count on having any plants growing in the water.  This includes water lily.  Koi are like hogs and will eat absolutely everything!  If you want a plant pond instead, you will need to add mosquito fish, minnows, or feeder gold fish to control the mosquitoes and to fertilize the plants.

► Water Pump and Fountain or Natural Filtration? 
Water Fountains are certainly peaceful, but they do get clogged with plant and fish matter.  If you plan to have a pond with a fountain, then plan on some filtration maintenance; such as changing and cleaning the filters at least once per week during the growing seasons.  

► Algae WILL Happen
Don't be alarmed... This is perfectly normal.  In the first year of pond maintenance algae will grow as the water, plants, and fish adjust to develop a balanced ecosystem.  Do keep the algae under control add an algae killer called "Green Clean" to the water. Any algae killer found in the koi section of the local pet store will also work just fine. 

So Where do We Start?
For just starting out, I recommend that you begin growing pond plants in either a half wine or whiskey barrel.  A child's wading pool also makes for an excellent option.  It can be placed in-ground or above ground.  Barrels are nice for limited space. The wading pool offers much more room for plant growth and an actual "garden."  The liners from the hardware store are small in comparison to a wading pool and are difficult to install in-ground due to their contoured shape.  Digging a hole and lining it with a pond liner is also an option, but for learning purposes we are aiming for simplicity.

Some good pond plants to buy are: 
parrot feather, pennywort, water hyacinth, water lettuce, floating heart, and water poppy. Must have plants to promote water clarity and oxygenation are anacharis and free floating pond plants such as water hyacinth or water lettuce.

DO NOT:  DO NOT toss your plants out in your garden with no maintenance!  Although they are beautiful, these plants can take over your garden like a weed!