water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
Hi
I just received one each of these plants by mail order this morning and wanted to make sure how best to plant them in my water barrel pond. I understand that the water hawthorn is a deep water marginal, so should I plant it in a basket and put it straight in at the bottom of the barrel? The water is probably between 12" and 18" deep, so will it be OK to go straight in at that depth? Does it need stones in the bottom to stop it floating about and how will the soil stay in the basket? I'm a newbie with pond plants as you can guess! The water hyssop is a marginal plant and only needs its roots in the water as far as I understand, so I was thinking of positioning it on bricks which I have stacked up in the barrel so that it can just stand near the top of the water - will that work? Will I have to protect it in the winter? The plants are here and waiting to go in, so any advice asap please!! Thanks - Lynda |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
Lynda Thornton wrote in
: Hi I just received one each of these plants by mail order this morning and wanted to make sure how best to plant them in my water barrel pond. I understand that the water hawthorn is a deep water marginal, so should I plant it in a basket and put it straight in at the bottom of the barrel? The water is probably between 12" and 18" deep, so will it be OK to go straight in at that depth? Does it need stones in the bottom to stop it floating about and how will the soil stay in the basket? I'm a newbie with pond plants as you can guess! Fill the basket with ordinary garden soil. You can add some stones if like me you have more stones than soil available! The basket will create clouds of mud when you lower it in, but that should settle quickly enough. Make sure you hold the basket with both hands and lower it right to the bottom. Once it is in, don't try and take it out again till the plants have got a good hold, or mud will be everywhere! 12" may be a little shallow - if you are putting a basket underneath it there will only be a few inches of water on top. My water hawthorn is in about 2 foot of water to the bottom of the basket, and seems happy. The water hyssop is a marginal plant and only needs its roots in the water as far as I understand, so I was thinking of positioning it on bricks which I have stacked up in the barrel so that it can just stand near the top of the water - will that work? Will I have to protect it in the winter? I don't have a water hyssop, but I find that this is a good approach for marginals where you otherwise have a steep drop. Don't just put the hyssop on top of the bricks - it will need a basket or a pot to hold the soil/compost together and give it something to get its roots into. Position the edge of this pot or basket a few millimeters under the water, and then either use white stones around the base of the plant to distract they eye away from the pot line, or over-fill the pot and mound the soil up with the plant on top, so that only the mound sticks out. A few flat stones in the pot will help prevent the mound crumbling away before your plants have got their roots in to hold it all together. If you have tadpoles or a goldfish in the barrel, an alternative to bricks is an upside down plantpot or basket with chunks cut out. You won't see it, but it means there is a bit more water space and a handy shelter for them. Victoria |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
In article , Lynda Thornton
writes Hi I just received one each of these plants by mail order this morning and wanted to make sure how best to plant them in my water barrel pond. I understand that the water hawthorn is a deep water marginal, so should I plant it in a basket and put it straight in at the bottom of the barrel? yes The water is probably between 12" and 18" deep, so will it be OK to go straight in at that depth? Use bricks to support it so its leaves are floating on the top. Then, as it gets leaves with longer stems, gradually lower it. Does it need stones in the bottom to stop it floating about and how will the soil stay in the basket? Shouldn't need stones once it's waterlogged. If it isn't already potted up, use aquatic compost, which is especially low nutrient to save you getting a lot of algae. The soil will stay in through gravity ;-) But you could put a few small flat stones on top of the pot if you're worried. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
Hi
Thanks ladies for the advice, I'll see how they do in their new habitat! Lynda |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
In article , Victoria
Clare writes Lynda Thornton wrote in : Hi I just received one each of these plants by mail order this morning and wanted to make sure how best to plant them in my water barrel pond. I understand that the water hawthorn is a deep water marginal, so should I plant it in a basket and put it straight in at the bottom of the barrel? The water is probably between 12" and 18" deep, so will it be OK to go straight in at that depth? Does it need stones in the bottom to stop it floating about and how will the soil stay in the basket? I'm a newbie with pond plants as you can guess! Fill the basket with ordinary garden soil. You can add some stones if like me you have more stones than soil available! The basket will create clouds of mud when you lower it in, but that should settle quickly enough. Make sure you hold the basket with both hands and lower it right to the bottom. Once it is in, don't try and take it out again till the plants have got a good hold, or mud will be everywhere! 12" may be a little shallow - if you are putting a basket underneath it there will only be a few inches of water on top. My water hawthorn is in about 2 foot of water to the bottom of the basket, and seems happy. I've now planted it and there is probably 6" of water above it so I hope that's enough, there's maybe another inch or so if I completely fill the barrel to the top. The water hyssop is a marginal plant and only needs its roots in the water as far as I understand, so I was thinking of positioning it on bricks which I have stacked up in the barrel so that it can just stand near the top of the water - will that work? Will I have to protect it in the winter? I don't have a water hyssop, but I find that this is a good approach for marginals where you otherwise have a steep drop. Don't just put the hyssop on top of the bricks - it will need a basket or a pot to hold the soil/compost together and give it something to get its roots into. Position the edge of this pot or basket a few millimeters under the water, and then either use white stones around the base of the plant to distract they eye away from the pot line, or over-fill the pot and mound the soil up with the plant on top, so that only the mound sticks out. A few flat stones in the pot will help prevent the mound crumbling away before your plants have got their roots in to hold it all together. Hi Victoria Yes, I meant I would be putting the hyssop in a basket/pot first, I just didn't make that clear! I am a bit confused though, because the rather undetailed blurb that came with the plants said not to get the crown of the marginal plant get too wet, and I've got it positioned now so that the top of the pot is just below the waterline, so in that case the crown of the plant is definitely getting wet. Is this a problem? Also, I found that a plant from last year, with an arrowhead-shaped leaf and white flowers on long stems (can't remember the name!), which got killed by blackbirds digging it up in the rain, had multiplied and left some bulbs in the barrel which I noticed were sprouting and which I thought had been dropped by birds! I planted one in a pot I had and lo and behold an arrowhead leaf started growing! So I've now got a new plant growing in a pot with the top also just under the waterline, so will this be suitable conditions? Lynda |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
Lynda Thornton wrote in news:CIuhEiAGRTz+EwJ3
@btinternet.com: Yes, I meant I would be putting the hyssop in a basket/pot first, I just didn't make that clear! I am a bit confused though, because the rather undetailed blurb that came with the plants said not to get the crown of the marginal plant get too wet, and I've got it positioned now so that the top of the pot is just below the waterline, so in that case the crown of the plant is definitely getting wet. Is this a problem? I don't know specifically for water hyssop, but personally I'd just keep an eye on it and see how it goes on. If it starts to look sad, try standing it on another brick. Most watery plants tolerate varying levels as they have to put up with them on the borders of natural ponds and in water meadows. As long as most of the top is out of the water and the roots are soggy they seem to manage. It may be that hyssop doesn't like having its top frozen in ice though - which of course you won't be able to tell till it is too late. Here's hoping someone else can give you advice specific to water hyssop. I am sure your water hawthorn will adapt though. I failed to follow Kay's cunning advice with mine and just dumped it ruthlessly into deepish water - in a couple of days the stems had stretched up to the surface anyway and this year it has had a lot of spidery little baby hawthorns. Victoria |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
"Victoria Clare" wrote in message .209... Lynda Thornton wrote in news:CIuhEiAGRTz+EwJ3 @btinternet.com: I am sure your water hawthorn will adapt though. I failed to follow Kay's cunning advice with mine and just dumped it ruthlessly into deepish water - in a couple of days the stems had stretched up to the surface anyway and this year it has had a lot of spidery little baby hawthorns. Does it self seed as I have lots of spidery things growing in the pond ? Mark |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
"Mark" wrote in news:nibza.24770$xd5.1246340
@stones.force9.net: in a couple of days the stems had stretched up to the surface anyway and this year it has had a lot of spidery little baby hawthorns. Does it self seed as I have lots of spidery things growing in the pond ? No idea what it is up to: I just know it has made more of itself either vegitatively (?) or by seed. It did flower well last year, so I suppose it could be from seed. Victoria |
water hawthorn and water hyssop - urgent advice pls!
Water hawthorn appears to self seed - it is all over our pond in stones,
pots, the mud at the bottom, everywhere. We have to weed the pond to keep it under control. Fortunately it seems to flower early (February sometimes) and to be mainly over when the water lillies get into gear, so they don't compete too much. "Mark" wrote in message ... "Victoria Clare" wrote in message .209... Lynda Thornton wrote in news:CIuhEiAGRTz+EwJ3 @btinternet.com: I am sure your water hawthorn will adapt though. I failed to follow Kay's cunning advice with mine and just dumped it ruthlessly into deepish water - in a couple of days the stems had stretched up to the surface anyway and this year it has had a lot of spidery little baby hawthorns. Does it self seed as I have lots of spidery things growing in the pond ? Mark |
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