wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi - thanks for your helpful reply! The Bog Bean is just floating - not
planted in any container, but after doing more reserach, I think that
must be what I have. Now the question is, do I keep it or replace it
with something that will be more attractive and less invasive. What
should I introduce to the pond (hopefully not chemical) to reduce the
nitrate level and encourage flowering?


I have two planted in pots (they did flower, but not for long. May through
June), they are forever sending shoots right out into the pond.
I just trim them back when they get long enough to annoy me :-)

I currently have Brooklime (flowering now), Greater Spearwort (flowering
now), Umbrella Palm, Parrot's Feather, Water Lettuce, Waterlilys, Flowering
Rush, Starwort, Water Violet (flowering now), Water Hyacinth (never flowers
here), Water Mint, Iris (flowering now).

Touch wood, I've never had a nitrate problem.
Plenty of plants should keep your nitrate down, and don't feed your fish to
often.
HTH

Peter

Bog bean is hardy to zone 3.
So it can not only survive your winters
it positively enjoys them!

k ;-)

wrote:

I have water lilies where they can be, but 2/3 of the pond is too
shallow for water lillies (12" -16" depth) so I was hoping for
something else that will winter over and provide a more attractive
alternative to the bog bean.

There's practically nothing too small for water lilies - look for some of
the dwarf varieties. They'll do well in that depth, through the summer.
Plant them in baskets that you can move, then lower them to the deeper part
of the pond for the winter (I fastened cord to the baskets so that I could
haul them up in Spring without freezing myself). They need to be a bit
deeper than 16", in your area, through the winter, but not a lot.
--
derek

Bog bean is hardy to zone 3.
It eats zone 5 winters for breakfast.
(and if this info shows up twice, it is
the fault of cybermonkeys, I tried this
hours ago...)

k

I don't have any fish, and the pond is quite full of plants - it's
about 12' in diameter and has 7 hardy water lilies (currently
flowering), 1/3 full of bog bean, a large yellow iris (already done for
the year), 1/4 full of pickerel weed (in full bloom) and duckweed
throughout. I don't think I can add any more plants and still see the
water. I'll probably pull out the bog bean and replace it with
something else which will flower. One suggestion was Creeping Primrose
but I can't locate Zone information on it. Can anyone make any other
suggestions for something which will provide good coverage and flower
in Zone 5? Also, the garden centers in driving distance from me have
dreadful pond stock; can any kind soul provide me with what I need? I'd
be happy to cover costs. Thanks for all your help!

2pods wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi - thanks for your helpful reply! The Bog Bean is just floating - not
planted in any container, but after doing more reserach, I think that
must be what I have. Now the question is, do I keep it or replace it
with something that will be more attractive and less invasive. What
should I introduce to the pond (hopefully not chemical) to reduce the
nitrate level and encourage flowering?


I have two planted in pots (they did flower, but not for long. May through
June), they are forever sending shoots right out into the pond.
I just trim them back when they get long enough to annoy me :-)

I currently have Brooklime (flowering now), Greater Spearwort (flowering
now), Umbrella Palm, Parrot's Feather, Water Lettuce, Waterlilys, Flowering
Rush, Starwort, Water Violet (flowering now), Water Hyacinth (never flowers
here), Water Mint, Iris (flowering now).

Touch wood, I've never had a nitrate problem.
Plenty of plants should keep your nitrate down, and don't feed your fish to
often.
HTH

Peter

Creeping Jenny hardy down to zone 5.

k
(I'd better see this sooner than six hours later!!)

does anyone have any extra they can supply me?

wrote:
I don't have any fish, and the pond is quite full of plants - it's
about 12' in diameter and has 7 hardy water lilies (currently
flowering), 1/3 full of bog bean, a large yellow iris (already done for
the year), 1/4 full of pickerel weed (in full bloom) and duckweed
throughout. I don't think I can add any more plants and still see the
water. I'll probably pull out the bog bean and replace it with
something else which will flower. One suggestion was Creeping Primrose
but I can't locate Zone information on it. Can anyone make any other
suggestions for something which will provide good coverage and flower
in Zone 5? Also, the garden centers in driving distance from me have
dreadful pond stock; can any kind soul provide me with what I need? I'd
be happy to cover costs. Thanks for all your help!

2pods wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi - thanks for your helpful reply! The Bog Bean is just floating - not
planted in any container, but after doing more reserach, I think that
must be what I have. Now the question is, do I keep it or replace it
with something that will be more attractive and less invasive. What
should I introduce to the pond (hopefully not chemical) to reduce the
nitrate level and encourage flowering?


I have two planted in pots (they did flower, but not for long. May through
June), they are forever sending shoots right out into the pond.
I just trim them back when they get long enough to annoy me :-)

I currently have Brooklime (flowering now), Greater Spearwort (flowering
now), Umbrella Palm, Parrot's Feather, Water Lettuce, Waterlilys, Flowering
Rush, Starwort, Water Violet (flowering now), Water Hyacinth (never flowers
here), Water Mint, Iris (flowering now).

Touch wood, I've never had a nitrate problem.
Plenty of plants should keep your nitrate down, and don't feed your fish to
often.
HTH

Peter

wrote in message
oups.com...
does anyone have any extra they can supply me?

Would do, but I assume you're in the US of A ?
If so it's a no go as I'm in Scotland :-(

Peter