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Healthy Roots, Happy Plants
When you are selecting plants for your pond or aquarium, chances are that you aren’t thinking too much about their roots. Instead, you are focusing on flowers, foliage color, leaf shape and growth pattern. And, that makes perfect sense - the flowers and leaves are what you will be seeing once the plants are established in your pond.
But don’t forget about those roots. All plants require sun, water and nutrients to be healthy. But, without a strong root system, nothing else matters. The roots are the foundation for your plants - healthy roots make for healthy plants.
Roots are made of living cells, which means that they need food and oxygen, and a way to get rid of excess carbon dioxide. These living cells allow water and nutrients to pass into the plant, where it flows on to the rest of the plant. Without a healthy root system, your plants will not be able to take in enough food, water or oxygen.
Healthy roots will appear firm and white, often with many branching rootlets. In contrast, unhealthy roots will be limp, brown and gunky. Several plants do not follow this pattern. Many floating plants, such as water hyacinth and water lettuce, have feathery, brown roots, for example. These plants don’t need to be potted – just toss them into your pond and enjoy.
Proper root care begins the moment you receive your plants. Whether your new plants are bare-rooted or potted, we recommend that you repot the new arrivals. If your new plant is potted, simply pull the plant from the pot, and wash the dirt from the root system with your hose. It is also a good idea to inspect the roots of your established potted plants every spring.
Before you begin, you will want to have the necessary tools and supplies on hand. In general, you will need:
pond plant pots
newspaper
compost or high-quality soil
gravel
fertilizer
pruners or scissors
hose
bucket
1. Inspect the roots on each plant. They should be healthy, firm and white. Remove any roots that look suspect. Trim the healthy roots to encourage new growth. In general, you will want to trim the roots to 2 - 3 inches long.
2. Line each pot with a sheet or two of newspaper. Then, fill each pot approximately two-thirds with your compost or soil. Set your plant(s) into their pots, spreading the roots over the soil. Do not overcrowd your plants now - they will grow and spread throughout the summer.
3. Cover the roots with additional soil or compost, leaving the crown of the plant above the soil surface. Now is the time to add fertilizer, if you want.
4. Cover the soil thickly with gravel. This will prevent the soil from dirtying the water, and will discourage animals from disturbing the roots.
5. Set the pot gently into the pond, and enjoy.
Once the plants are potted and placed in the pond, it is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors.
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