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#1
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
I'm planning an expansion of my pond next year to deal with some issues I
created. One of them is poor plant growth in marginals that are in clay soil but with no additional fertilizer. One one side of the argument is plants in clay/soil do better, but might not be able to get at nutrients present in the pond, thus allowing string algae to outcompete them as the clay "keeps" the nutrient flow away from the roots. (BTW, I'm not presenting this as fact, just trying to figure things out!). I have to wonder about this when I see arrowroot growing huge in the natural ponds around here, yet my in-kitty-litter arrowroot is but a puny shadow (well, it's also in a pot...). One could fertilize and they would do better, but why add nutrients here if the pond is already producing SA, meaning there is excess N and P in the pond already? (I, like many of you, add K regularly) On the other side is that plants in gravel or gravel beds, or just tossed into the water can take up nutrients in the water faster or better, allowing them to grow better and (hopefully) out-compete the SA. I suppose pot size per plant would also be a factor here - perhaps my marginals need bigger pots? But I do know that the WH and other toss-them-into-the-pond type plants (parrot feather, et al) do fine. So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Do you fertilize, or add K at all to your pond? Maybe this could be a useful thread to collect some real life data. |
#2
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plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Our plants are all in 1-2" rocks or free floating. Growth is fine
J -- ____________________________________________ Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per jogger) at: www.jogathon.net See our pond at: http://www.home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-jameshurley "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:5l62b.245009$YN5.164904@sccrnsc01... I'm planning an expansion of my pond next year to deal with some issues I created. One of them is poor plant growth in marginals that are in clay soil but with no additional fertilizer. One one side of the argument is plants in clay/soil do better, but might not be able to get at nutrients present in the pond, thus allowing string algae to outcompete them as the clay "keeps" the nutrient flow away from the roots. (BTW, I'm not presenting this as fact, just trying to figure things out!). I have to wonder about this when I see arrowroot growing huge in the natural ponds around here, yet my in-kitty-litter arrowroot is but a puny shadow (well, it's also in a pot...). One could fertilize and they would do better, but why add nutrients here if the pond is already producing SA, meaning there is excess N and P in the pond already? (I, like many of you, add K regularly) On the other side is that plants in gravel or gravel beds, or just tossed into the water can take up nutrients in the water faster or better, allowing them to grow better and (hopefully) out-compete the SA. I suppose pot size per plant would also be a factor here - perhaps my marginals need bigger pots? But I do know that the WH and other toss-them-into-the-pond type plants (parrot feather, et al) do fine. So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Do you fertilize, or add K at all to your pond? Maybe this could be a useful thread to collect some real life data. |
#3
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Mike Miller wrote:
... Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Do you fertilize, or add K at all to your pond? ... All plants in 1-2 inch lava rock and/or river pebbles, topped with 3-5 inch river rock (rounded, mostly flat and smooth); except lotus (when I have it) in clay / loam. I don't feed anything except lotus when I have it. Everything grows well, except now that I'm adjusting KH, I'm noticing that some plants do better with low KH and some do better with high KH. Am still planning to add some potash, which I expect will even out some of the differences caused by raising the KH. -- Zk 3500gal pond, 13 pond piggies (automatic fertilizing machines) Oregon, USDA Zone 7 |
#4
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plants in gravel or clay/soil?
The last two years I've had my lilies a) tied to a rock and sunk b) tied to a mesh plant basket and sunk with a couple big rocks. Neither method was very impressive as far as blooms are concerned. I've been lowering my fish stock so the amt. of fish business for fertilizer hasn't been as much. The hyacinths in the veggie filter are still growing green and tall, though. Next year --- I'm putting in something, clay media, soil, pea gravel in the lily baskets and I'm going to make it easier to fertilize. k30a and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#6
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 13:13:30 -0700, zookeeper wrote:
Mike Miller wrote: ... Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Do you fertilize, or add K at all to your pond? ... I don't use K, some marginals are in river rock or even just big rocks holding them in the baskets. Arrowheads, taros, & canna are in sandy soil and were fed when I divided and maybe one more time a month ago. Lilies, lotus in sandy soil, fed often. Most everything is in baskets with weed fabric liner, that many roots manage to still get thru and right out into the water flow (a good thing). Only plants I use solid pots for are the cattails and they are in rocks and whatever dirt they've managed to hang on to. Everything growing great, my biggest problem this year that slow things down was due to high pH. ~ jan See my ponds and filter design: http://users.owt.com/jjspond/ ~Keep 'em Wet!~ Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a To e-mail see website |
#7
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plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Mike,
Stick with clay/soil for your plants. I switched over this year and after three months my lilies still are not doing very good. Usually this time of the year the plants are literally growing out of the pond. My experience is that gravel sucks, unless, of course, you are satisfied with mediocre plants. When I had soil in my pots I fertilized monthly. Tom L.L. "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:5l62b.245009$YN5.164904@sccrnsc01... I'm planning an expansion of my pond next year to deal with some issues I created. One of them is poor plant growth in marginals that are in clay soil but with no additional fertilizer. One one side of the argument is plants in clay/soil do better, but might not be able to get at nutrients present in the pond, thus allowing string algae to outcompete them as the clay "keeps" the nutrient flow away from the roots. (BTW, I'm not presenting this as fact, just trying to figure things out!). I have to wonder about this when I see arrowroot growing huge in the natural ponds around here, yet my in-kitty-litter arrowroot is but a puny shadow (well, it's also in a pot...). One could fertilize and they would do better, but why add nutrients here if the pond is already producing SA, meaning there is excess N and P in the pond already? (I, like many of you, add K regularly) On the other side is that plants in gravel or gravel beds, or just tossed into the water can take up nutrients in the water faster or better, allowing them to grow better and (hopefully) out-compete the SA. I suppose pot size per plant would also be a factor here - perhaps my marginals need bigger pots? But I do know that the WH and other toss-them-into-the-pond type plants (parrot feather, et al) do fine. So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Do you fertilize, or add K at all to your pond? Maybe this could be a useful thread to collect some real life data. |
#8
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
In article 5l62b.245009$YN5.164904@sccrnsc01, "Mike Miller"
writes: So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? all my plants are in pea gravel and do very well. I fertilize the lilies only, but add potash regularly. Karen Zone 5 Ashland, OH http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html My Art Studio at http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html for email remove the extra extention |
#9
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
In article , zookeeper
writes: Everything grows well, except now that I'm adjusting KH, I'm noticing that some plants do better with low KH and some do better with high KH. Zk, have you noted what plants do better in high KH and low KH. I'm adjusting KH also and have noticed that my WL is turning yellow. How is yours doing? Thanks Karen Zone 5 Ashland, OH http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html My Art Studio at http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html for email remove the extra extention |
#10
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Karen Mullen wrote:
In article , zookeeper writes: Everything grows well, except now that I'm adjusting KH, I'm noticing that some plants do better with low KH and some do better with high KH. have you noted what plants do better in high KH and low KH. I'm adjusting KH also and have noticed that my WL is turning yellow. How is yours doing? I don't have WL this year -- attracts too many aphids here. My normally unstoppable dark green pickerel is yellowing, then getting crispy. I'll add potash later this week to see if that helps. My pH didn't drop as the KH went up (pH 9 / KH 143), so the problem might be the pH. Hmmmmm .... more chemistry ;-) But the water lilies threw out 5-7 new leaves, two new blossoms; and the corkscrew rush is really growing now. -- Zk |
#11
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plants in gravel or clay/soil?
I did the studies a few years back comparing lily growth and bloom in pea gravel vs. soil. You need to be sure to use a slow release fertilizer that supplements agents soil usually contains (minerals, etc), not just the N, Phosph and Potash. I use what Longwood gardens uses.. highland rim. if you fertilize there is no difference in plant vigor/blooms. if you forget to (as I have done), there seems to be less blooming, but no difference in leaf production.. that's for lilies. Interesting - what is "highland rim"? |
#12
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Do you fertilize the liles in gravel? Doesn't the N and P leak out and get
into the water this way? I'm just thinking of ways to avoid fertilizing the string algae. "Karen Mullen" wrote in message ... In article 5l62b.245009$YN5.164904@sccrnsc01, "Mike Miller" writes: So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? all my plants are in pea gravel and do very well. I fertilize the lilies only, but add potash regularly. Karen Zone 5 Ashland, OH http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html My Art Studio at http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html for email remove the extra extention |
#13
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plants in gravel or clay/soil?
Mike Miller wrote:
I did the studies a few years back comparing lily growth and bloom in pea gravel vs. soil. You need to be sure to use a slow release fertilizer that supplements agentssoil usually contains (minerals, etc), not just the N, Phosph and Potash I use what Longwood gardens uses.. highland rim. if you fertilize there is no difference in plant vigor/blooms. if you forget to (as I have done), there seems to be less blooming, but no difference in leaf production.. that's for lilies. Interesting - what is "highland rim"? http://www.highlandrimaquatics.com/products/ |
#14
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 02:01:25 GMT, "Mike Miller"
wrote: So, how about a poll. Whose marginals are in gravel and whose are in soil of some type? How well do they grow? Taro, primrose, lillies, doing well in soil covered with rock. Celery never took off and parrot feather looked great until the primrose strangled it to death. |
#15
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Poll: plants in gravel or clay/soil?
In article Vbz2b.195190$cF.64280@rwcrnsc53, "Mike Miller"
writes: Do you fertilize the liles in gravel? Doesn't the N and P leak out and get into the water this way? I'm just thinking of ways to avoid fertilizing the string algae. I do like Jan and line my pots with weed cloth then add the plants and fill the basket. currently I have green water, but no string algae - long story! Karen Zone 5 Ashland, OH http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html My Art Studio at http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html for email remove the extra extention |
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