Need help please pond plants

 Hello again
I will be buying some bull rush and water lilies tomorrow from B&Q
Can anyone on group help, with  type of compost needed to fill the pots

Also is it necessary to cover the roots in gravel
And any other advice you can give will be welcome

TIA .......................Leslie

 wrote:


There's special aquatic compost sold, surprisingly as "aquatic
compost", though whether you'll find it in B&Q is another matter.
Don't be tempted to use anything other than the special aquatic
compost as other types will cause a range of problems.

Use pond planting baskets, not standard pots. Some people say it's
best to line the planting baskets with hessian but I don't do it and
have no problems. I top my baskets with a decent layer of coarse grit
rather than gravel - some layer is best to stop the compost washing
out of the basket.

Jake

 

Pond plants from B&Q come packaged with compost....looks like bunny poo.
TBH, I'd find a decent aquatic supplier who can sell you what you need and
give advice.
Pete C

 

"Therefore"  wrote ...

Hello again
I will be buying some bull rush and water lilies tomorrow from B&Q
Can anyone on group help, with  type of compost needed to fill the pots

Also is it necessary to cover the roots in gravel
And any other advice you can give will be welcome
...........................................................................

Bull rush, are you sure? They are large plants that will take over anything
other than a lake and they look and make a terrible mess when they shed
their seeds.
Water Lilies from B & Q? If they aren't a named variety and it just says
White or Red don't touch them. You will have that plant for a long time so
buy a good one.

See.... http://www.lilieswatergardens.co.uk/    or
http://www.watergarden.org/Pond-Supplies/Hardy-Waterlilies    for the names
of suitable plants

You need a lily that is suitable for your depth of water, the depths quoted
are from the plant to the surface i.e. from the top of the pot to the
surface. The soil you need for all pond plants has to be low in nutrients so
they do sell special compost, water lilies don't need drainage holes so a
large plastic bowl or the latest solid planting tub is much better than
those old plastic mesh things that loose soil.  The soil is usually covered
with pebbles to stop the fish rooting and removing the soil, the bigger the
fish the bigger the stones.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Seen this?....  http://elrellano.com/videos_online/4624/circo-roncalli.html  

 

"Bob Hobden"  wrote
"Therefore"  wrote ...

Hello again
I will be buying some bull rush and water lilies tomorrow from B&Q
Can anyone on group help, with  type of compost needed to fill the pots

Also is it necessary to cover the roots in gravel
And any other advice you can give will be welcome
...........................................................................

Bull rush, are you sure? They are large plants that will take over anything
other than a lake and they look and make a terrible mess when they shed
their seeds.
Water Lilies from B & Q? If they aren't a named variety and it just says
White or Red don't touch them. You will have that plant for a long time so
buy a good one.

See.... http://www.lilieswatergardens.co.uk/    or
http://www.watergarden.org/Pond-Supplies/Hardy-Waterlilies    for the names
of suitable plants

You need a lily that is suitable for your depth of water, the depths quoted
are from the plant to the surface i.e. from the top of the pot to the
surface. The soil you need for all pond plants has to be low in nutrients so
they do sell special compost, water lilies don't need drainage holes so a
large plastic bowl or the latest solid planting tub is much better than
those old plastic mesh things that loose soil.  The soil is usually covered
with pebbles to stop the fish rooting and removing the soil, the bigger the
fish the bigger the stones.
.....................................

Sorry about that last link it's an American one, I meant to give you the
link to THE waterlily nursery...
http://www.latour-marliac.com/    (just click on the UK site link top left
and go to Hardy Waterlilies).

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK