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Plants
Question 1: What are the general conditions for pond plants?
The best planting period is in spring (starting in March). For near natural planting we recommend making different-depth plant zones.
The following guidelines apply:
- Marsh zone (damp zone) 0 to 10 cm
- Flat-water zone 20 to 50 cm
- Deep water zone (water zone) deeper than 50 cm
The rule of thumb for plant quantity: app. 1/3 of the total pond surface should be planted to prevent an overabundance of nutrients.
Plant baskets or plant mats are recommended as planting aids.
Question 2: Which underwater plants are recommended for the garden pond?
Amazon frog bit, chickweed, and water soldier, or slender riccia, pondweed, and yarrow are recommended as underwater plants or floating plants respectively.
Question 3: What makes an optimal pond floor, or what is suitable as a plant substrate?
Gravel as well as sand is suitable for the pond floor or plant substrate. When deciding be aware that sand silts up sooner than gravel.
On the other hand with fine gravel the sinking rotting material settles in the cavities, which makes cleaning more difficult (a sludge vacuum is useful in this situation).
Question 4: Which gravel types are recommended?
Sandstone gravel or other similar silica stone is recommended. We do not recommend limestone gravel like marble gravel.
By the way: The pond floor does not have to be totally covered with gravel; in time a layer of pond sediment will form on its own.
Question 5: Can the individual stones give off substances that are harmful to the water?
A general tip: There are no problems with anything in the direction of sandstone, because the stone (of silica and quartz) cannot give off substances that affect the water.
Caution is required for limestone group stone (including marble). More precise information is available from your OASE Fachhändler.
Question 6: Is the brief “blossoming time” of my water lily normal or is the plant sick?
Water lilies bloom for only a few days like many other plants – this is normal for a healthy plant.
Question 7: Which underwater plants are particularly recommended for koi?
We recommend not having any underwater plants if koi will be in the pond (they will be quickly torn up or eaten).
Question 8: What do I need to be aware of when planting water lilies?
When planting the water depth specified on the plant label must be maintained. A little special fertilizer (an overdose can harm fish!) promotes healthy growth.
In addition the planting location should permit sunlight and you should check the oxygen content of the pond water.
Question 9: Can normal land plant potting soil be used in the plant baskets for water plants?
Preferably not! Normal potting soil contains too much fertilizer (can also be the case with pond soil). To completely avoid the risk of fertilizer stress it is best to use normal gravel as planting substance.
Another low-nutrient alternative is pure clay.
Question 10: Do plant baskets help or hinder plant growth?
Generally plant baskets are helpful because they prevent the roots from extending freely and damaging the pond foil.
Please note that the soil should be filled up from time to time and covered with gravel (this prevents churning up).
Question 11: Can water lilies and other floating leaf plants survive with decorative water effects?
Water lilies and other floating leaf plants cannot survive with splashing water – water effects like fountains should accordingly be placed far away from these types of plants.
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