planting help for marginals

[Freddie Peepers]

I need help with my marginals. I've planted my lotus and lilies by following the directions here on the forum. They all seem to be doing well. Now I have some others that need to be potted up and put in the pond. Do I use the same manure/osmocote combination that works for lilies and lotus? Is there a different soil I should use? Same kind of pots (no holes)? What about fertilizer? osmocote again? I have iris and taro, dwarf cattails and parrots feather. Any help is appreciated

[LeeAnne151]

I have my parrot's feather tucked between rocks, no pot and it's been fine this way for ten years.

I have iris in pots with clay garden soil.

I am taro death even with a greenhouse so can't help you there.

[Freddie Peepers]

LeeAnne;
 do you then sink the iris pots in the pond?
 if yes how deep can they be?
Will the parrots feather survive zone 5 planted like that?
 

[miguynmkoi]

My iris pots do well if half the pot is in water.  I have lots of natural clay everywhere - big bonus for many of my water plants. 

Taro seems to grow better with water flowing around or over their feet (base).  When I had it in still water it grew weakly.  Then I was given this idea from fellow Ponder and voila, beautiful taro leaves.

I tie my parrot feathers in a bunch and anchor then to one side of my pond too.  They can handle the winter here but this past winter was colder than others and they didn't all come back. 

[LeeAnne151]

My iris pots are sunk into ponds only about six inches of water higher than the pot.

I don't think parrot's feather is hardy to zone 5 no matter how you plant it.

[PondmaninAL]

I use to use a mix of top soil and manure that I bought at HD. Now I use soil that I dig up here. It's sandy and if I need more sand, I'll get it from a friend who's yard is a lot more sandier than mine. I plant all my plants in the same soil. I plan on planting my lotus in a kiddie pool half filled with soil and covered in water.

[tinkster]

I have the same problem with taro.. have not found the key that works for me  Marginals I have planted in lots of different ways to see which worked the best for my ponds and the ones I put that were small directly in my pond never did much growing for me but I am not patient and wanted they beautiful full pond plants immediately.   Then when I put in the bogs and a few container pots where I  just keep the dirt wet and didnt submerse the plants in weeks they were monsters with more plants to devide than I ever dreamed.  After I get them big in the bogs or containers (full of straight composted manure) I put them in the ponds with just rocks and they love it.  Alot of people use kitty litter.  In the waterfalls and streams I just plop the plant in and put a rock on its roots to hold it in place and in no time its set roots this way and loves the shallow running water over it.  My parrots feather I just let it float on the surface and it always manages to root itself in the rocks and other plants.

Think you have to kind of explore and see what works best for you.
 

tink

[Double S]

Parrots feather does survive zone 5 for me.  No dirt, just stuck in rocks in waterfall, around the edge etc.

My iris, I use clay, and water up to top rim of pot.  Again survive zone 5.

My cattails will grow with or without dirt/clay.  I have some in pots. I have some in my stream held down with rocks - but either way will spread outside your pot so be careful.  Survives zone 5.

I don't do well with Taro.  I stuck some in my stream held down my a rock. DId very little growing.  Had some planted in a pot, pot covered half way with water. Did very little growing.  Had another bunch planted in a pot with clay. Pot covered all the way with water. Still very little growing, but did the best.  Just bought more this year.  Not sure yet how I'll plant this time.  Does NOT survive zone 5. Must be brought inside in the fall/winter.

[LeeAnne151]

I've killed cattails in clay, in gravel and in aquatic soil..... they grow in ditches here but not at my house.

[ponderer]

Parrots Feather comes back for me, in pots on the bottom, they seem to like to find their way into the lily pots tho, and saps their growth.

[Kat]

Plant the taro so that only the roots are going to be wet.  Mine have done best when the pot/crown is about 1" above the water line & in partial shade.  I've found for myself that most bog plants are easier to start when there is less than 1" of water over the pot.