Let’s face it….there isn’t much to do with the pond now that summer is ending and things are put to bed.  I pulled all the water hyacinths out last week.  Trimmed up the lilies and took all the tropical waterlilies and put them to bed in the greenhouse for the winter.  I still have to drop the hardy waterlilies but some are still blooming so I’ll wait awhile yet.  My cardinal flower is still standing tall and I must say this has been its best year yet! I had at least 7 flowers on it and the hummingbirds sure were happy!!

A water feature can become an artful addition to any landscape.  A water feature should complement and enhance the landscape, fitting into the surrounding scheme and placed where they look most natural.   A powerful waterfall gives self-expression and fulfillment to some while for others, nothing is nicer than a stream flowing into a bog garden and lily pond.  Some enjoy just growing aquatic plants in a container garden on their deck or patio.  The possibilities are endless but the beauty is your choice.

Be sure and add a sitting area where you can sit and enjoy your garden retreat.

Plants in picture Thalia Dealbata, Umbrella Palm

If your submerged plants have grown to the surface of the pond, you will want to cut them back  so the plants are 6 to 10 inches below the water surface. Anacharis and hornwort can be netted out, cutting back from the bottom of the plant as the top of the plant is the growing portion.  Attach a new lead weight and simply toss them back into the pond or repot in pots of pea gravel.

Marginal plants, bog plants and floating plants can all be trimmed of old, brown growth.  Don’t be afraid to trim back or discard part of any plant that might be taking over your pond. You need to have an area of pond surface open to sunlight for oxygen exchange.

Water plants will grow quickly during the warm weather. Fertilize them with Highland Rim Aquatic Fertilizer Tablets every few weeks, instead of monthly, to encourage them to grow and bloom, putting on a fantastic show.

If some of your water plants require more than a trim, there is still time before fall to divide them. Fall is too late to divide some plants, especially if you live in a cooler climate.  They need time and warmth to grow a new root system, before going dormant for the winter.

Now, I’m going out to practice what I preach! As you can see from the photo, I have a few hours of work to do! My lilies and submerged plants are covering most of the surface area in my pond.  I will post a new picture, once I have things back under control.

Picture of customer’s pond.  Thank you for sharing.  The plants shown were purchased from Dragonfly Aquatics. Some of the plants shown are Water Hyacinths, Four Leaf Clover, Water Celery, Cardinal Flower, Water Lettuce and Denver Water Lily in this picture.