Hello pond experts!
I have a small pond and I am looking to add some tropical looking plants to it since its in the middle of my tropical garden. I have been told the the houseplant Peace lily Spathiphyllum could live in an aquatic environment. Is this true? Ant advise would be great. I got a huge one from my nephews funeral and would like it to have a special place.
George
Peace lily
Hi George!
Peace lilies are often sold in aquarium stores as a submerged plant and they can live like that for a time. I know that's not how you meant but that's the only way I've heard of them growing aquatically. Never heard of someone growing them in their pond before. Can't wait to see your other responses, hopefully with pics!
Lynn
There are a lot of plants that can grown in very wet or boggy areas. I have had a lot of success with just trying different things. Would not surpise me a bit if this one would too. I have never tried it but I know that peace lily is easy to divide. Why not divide off a clump and see how it does on the edge of the pond for you?
I did have one of those in a vase-type thing with a beta fish down below. Hadn't thought of doing one in a small pond. I might give it a try! Well, at least when it warms up a little.... I know the beta used to like to hide in the roots. Maybe my frog would too.
Sanna
Thats where I had saw it also sanna. I thought I could just put the pot below the water line and have the foliage showing. I have very low light in the house and it seems happy and the garden pond is semi shady. I guess I could keep a watch on it and if it starts looking unhappy I could pull it and plant it. I do it with all my houseplants and dig them in the fall. Not put them in the pond just plant them in the tropical garden. Some I just make hole and leave in pots, some I just put straight in soil.
George
I cut off a peice of one of my Peace Lilys, put it in a pot with water just about top of pot. I did this tonight will let you know how it does, oh yes it also has a bloom on it. Zone 7 Tennessee
I put 2 pieces of my lily at the base of one of my statue/fountains. I had not thought of the leaves on the trees not giving shade yet and the leaves burned, but it is sending out new growth. The peace lily has been in the pond for about 3 weeks now.
George
I have a calla lilly blooming in my pond. It is planted and submerged till the top edge is just under water. The pots for the water lillies are on the bottom. 4'
daylily, I planted mine in kity litter, it was cut off a plant that didn't get much light. I put it in the pond & it wilted so I took it out & set on the side of the pond that didn't get a lot of light. That didn't seem to help I brought it in and staked it, I thought I would put it out side to see if it could take the warmer temp. What do you think?
Hello! KP
I took mine out too soon. I forgot the leaves on trees were not out yet. It burned wilted then looked awful. It is now recovering. I have just the top of pot it's planted in sticking out of the water so the crown of plants is also above the water line. I am seeing new growth finally. I have sandy loam soil and used it as a potting medium. I also added a cube of alfalfa to soil also. It's a 2 tiered pond and didn't know if I wanted fish in it so went the organic way for fert. By the way the alfalfa cubes are working great in 2nd tier pond plants and the fish are fat and sassy!
Those peace lilies are pretty tough. I would say yours will recover. The only thing I might change is take it out of the kitty litter and put it into a soiless mix.
Good luck!!
Geo
Thanks daylily, I will change the litter to a soilless mix and am looking for some alfalfa cubes.
Hey KP
I used 3 cubes per pot and prob should not have. My plants have grown like crazy! It's a small pond. prob 350-400 gal. I am already having to thin out plants to see the fish. It's good they are doing well, but I think they liked the cubes too much.
George
daylily is your pond shaded? I get several hours of afternoon sun on mine, that might make a difference. Katherine
Yes, KP mine is in dappled shade. It fried the peace lily in the spring before leaves came out. They are just now recovering.
George
Hey, George, I'd like to hear more about fertilizing with alfalfa cubes!
Lana
Well Lana
I had read about the alfalfa tea and had used it with great success. I started worrying about how to fert the pond plants without chemicals that would harm the fish and wildlife. So I just stuck a couple of the cubes in the soil as I potted the plants and they seem to love it. The fish are doing great and the pond is full of tadpoles and my chickens and dogs drink out of it. The plants are growing so fast I already have had to thin some out to see the fish and it's only the first of June. Now I have started adding the cubes to regular pots too and again everyone seems happy and I have not used one drop of commercial fert yet. I experiment all the time with how to go "greener" in my gardens. Oh and I also dropped a couple in all my rose holes and they are blooming their heads off. The only plants that did not seem to like the cubes were acid loving plants. I just planted most of them this spring and It may just be shock. I am going to watch them and if they don't green up more I will use an acid fert for them.
George
Things that make you go huh. I have alfalfa cubes I feed my bunnies so going to try them in my lotus plants and water lillies :) Here's a pic of the pond yesterday while we were cleaning it. The hard rains last week washed clay dirt into it and it looked like a mud puddle. DH hauled 1300 gallons of water for it last night and it's still at least 300 gallons low. It's a 4000 gal. pond. Thanks for the alfalfa tip, George. I also have some alfalfa pellets I might try in new planting :)
Lana
Keep me posted Lana. I think we are on to something here for having organic gardening.
George
Will do.
Lana