Aquatic Pond Plants | Lebanon County, Pennsylvania (Pa)

Why are aquatic pond plants necessary?

Plants are GREAT for your pond for multiple reasons:
1) They naturally filter for your pond water of harmful toxins
2) They provide shade from the sun, reducing algae growth
3) They provide some predator protection (such as heron)

How many plants should I have in my pond?

Pond Plants make it necessary to blend your waterfeature waterfalls and streams into existing landscape. The bigger the pond, the more plants are needed in order to naturally keep up with the fish load. During the height of the pond season, approximately 40-60% of your Pond’s surface should be covered with plants. This helps shade the pond from direct sunlight, as direct sunlight promotes the growth of algae and increases the pond temperature, reducing the oxygen levels that are important for your pond fish!

Keep in mind that too many plants can create oxygen deficiencies at night when plants consume oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Low oxygen levels can be harmful to your fish.

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Shade Plants

Waterlilies, water lettuce, and hyacinth are examples of aquatic plants that will cover the surface of your Pond, providing valuable shade from the sun and protection for your fish. The ever-popular hardy waterlilies grow up from the bottom of the pond with many shade-providing lily pads (and flowers) year after year. They are often considered the crown jewel of a watergarden due to it's beauty and come in varying colors. You may also be lucky enough to find frogs sun-bathing on the lily pads on a hot summer day.

Water lettuce and hyacinth, however, are great alternatives to water lilies, as they provide the same shade at a fraction of the price and multiply on their own. While hyacinth are known to bloom purple flowers, water lettuce does not flower and looks just like edible lettuce does. These two plants are free-floating, as their root base hangs freely in the water and trap dust particles and small debris in root base. They also die off when the temperature starts to drop in the September months.

Marginal Plants

Marginal plants are planted in the more shallow edges of your pond, typically 0"-6" deep. Aside of helping to soften the edges of your pond, marginal plans remove those harmful toxins through their established root base and are a vital component to your pond’s ecosystem. The more established a plant is, the more proactive it is at helping to maintain water balance in your pond.

FROST WARNING

Despite the unseasonably warmer temperatures this year, new aquatic pond plants should ONLY be planted after the frost warning has expired for the season and will be available at Dreamscapes Aquatic Center late-April this year. It is important to remember that adding tropical plants to your watergarden TOO early may result in the loss of those plants when temperatures drop at night. Contact Dreamscapes for aquatic plant availability!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com