My pond has no shelves or steps in it. I've got my water lilies up on blocks, so they aren't all the way on the bottom of the pond. They are probably down about 18 inches or so. And they stay there all winter....I don't drop them to the pond floor....and they do fine. Anyway, this year I'm trying to build up a small collection of marginal/bog plants for the pond. Keeping in mind, I have no shelves......I found these nifty "floating planters". Basically it is a pot with holes in the bottom....but there is this foam collar that fits around the pot......keeping the pot afloat in the water. I'm just thrilled with them. It's the same concept as having shelves, only they float. :o) Anyway, my question is this...........if I have water plants that are hardy to my zone planted in these floating planters (planted in soil in the pot).......can I leave these plants floating in the winter.....or do I need to drop them below the water level? The tops of the pots are not underwater......only about 1/2 the pot is........and it takes up water from the bottom of the pot...keeping the soil like mud. I know alot of people keep their hardy water plants on their shelves through the winter and they do just fine. So I'm kind of thinking that if I leave the plants floating in the planters, it would be the same concept as leaving them on shelves, and they would survive just fine. Only about 1/2 the pond freezes until I have to shut down the waterfall.....then the whole surface freezes except where I keep a hole. It doesn't freeze very deep though. I'm in zone 5a, Indiana. Thoughts? Jenny
Pond Plant Question
HI Jenny, I'm up in the NW corner of the state, not too far away from you. Some plants will survive on shelves or floating planters, but some, like rushes will not. I have a large bog that filters my pond, it's rock lined and filled with water, no dirt and it's elevated about 20" higher than my pond. Arrowhead, Marsh Marigolds, Aquatic Mint, Water Iris and Water Celery are the ones that come back for me. If you want rushes, you can plant them in the ground in the fall to winter them over but you'll have make sure they don't dry out before they go dormant.
So you are saying some things would be ok, and others wouldn't. LOL :o) I could bring some indoors to my sunroom for the winter. I do that with my umbrella palm that isn't hardy. Jenny
lol Jenny, that's exactly what I'm saying. Whatever feels like coming back will and whatever doesn't won't, : ). You're lucky to have a sunroom to over winter tropical stuff. I have horrible lighting and do not do so well with that so I tend to stick with the easy stuff. I'm a lazy gardener.
LOL The problem is, my sunroom is shrinking. LOL Jenny
The foam might crack and degrade if left outside in the winter. I have some of the floating planters and I just remove the pot and submerge for the winter and store the foam collar.
That's probably a good idea. Thank you! Jenny