Predators Pests & Diseases

Submerged oxygenating plants :

He important plants can be quite simple planted in small plastic pots or baskets. If they are bought planted up they usually have a lead weight attached to them so that they usually have a  lead weight attached to them so that they sink to the bottom. If you plant them into your own pots in the garden, a weight such as a heavy  stone should  be tied to each pot. Alter naively  they can be weighted and dropped unpotted on to a half in. (1.25-cm) layer of washed gravel spread over the bottom of the pool,in which they will root. This method prevents becoming too invasive. As they have little root they can be planted at any time.

Deep marginal plant :

These are planted in polythene crates on bricks a few inches below the surface the water and gradually  lowered until they reach their required depth. Popular deep marginal plants are Appleton distances (Water Hawthorn), which requires a depth of about 12ins (31cm) and which must have its crown 6 ins (15cm) below the surface or the water in order to survive frost.

Floating plants :

Excellent representatives of this group are which is damaged by frost and should be winters indoors Hydrochloric Morse-range (Frog-bit) and Stratification alongside (water Soldier Or water cactus). These plants are merely placed on the surface of the water at any time during the growing season.

Water lilies :

These beautiful plants are planted  in crates supported on bricks so as to allow at first 3-6ins (7.5-15cm) of water above them. When they commence to grow they should be gradually lowered until they are at their right depth. When first planted, all the mature leaves and supply roots should be removed with a sharp knife.

Maintenance of aquatic plants :

Water lilies in containers must be re potted  between mid-March and June every three or four years.Marginal plants should be thinned and replanted periodically. In the autumn all excess growth and dead leaves etc. must be cut away from water plants with a sharp knife to prevent pollution. Water plants growing in baskets and pots should be fed with fertilizer from time to time. This may be done by placing  a ball about 1.5ins (3.75cm)  in  diameter, made of equal parts clay and bone meal, into the soil alongside the plant roots. Alternatively you can buy a proprietary  fertilizer in a perforated sachet, which is placed near the roots of the plants.

Pests :

Pests that attack aquatic plants are water-lily black fly water-lily beetle and brown chin marks moth. Fortunately these pests are consumed by the fish. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to hose them off plants so that the fish can get at them. 

Wild aquatic plants :

Do not introduce plants form rivers and streams into a garden pool, since plants from wild sources might bring diseases and parasites.