The correct way to propagate aquatic plants depends on the species. In this guide you will get to know the different methods in detail.

Some aquatic plants reproduce on their own

Preliminary note on propagation by seeds

In principle, several swamp and aquatic plants can be grown from seeds. However, this method is more time-consuming compared to vegetative propagation. In addition, some pond plants do not develop fruits and seeds under local climatic conditions. Therefore, if in doubt, you should prefer the vegetative variant(s).

Multiply water lilies and water lilies

For water lilies with rootstock:

  1. Remove the rootstock from the plant basket (€11.99) and carefully remove the soil and plant debris.
  2. Cut off old roots and shorten young roots so that they fit back into the plant basket.
  3. You can pull new plants out of the eyes that sit on the rootstock of the perennial. Cut out the bulbs with a knife and place in a pot with a moist clay soil. Press the eyes a few millimeters into the ground. Then place the pot in a larger container filled with water. Move to a cool, partially shaded spot.
  4. After about a month, the first shoots should be visible.
  5. As soon as the young water lily plants are a few centimeters tall, they can be moved to a plant basket and thus to the pond.

Attention: Don't forget to put the mother plant back in its basket in the meantime.

For sea lilies that form rhizomes:

  1. Separate the rhizome runners from the mother plant with a knife.
  2. Spread stolons flat on the substrate in the pot.
  3. Cover with potting soil until you can just see the vegetation points.
  4. Everything else follows the same pattern as for sea lilies with rootstock.

Cultivation of other aquatic plants

The following sections briefly summarize how the cultivation of other aquatic plants works.

shore plants

With rhizome-like roots:

  1. Cut a 15 cm long piece from the rhizome tips.
  2. Remove dead leaves and brown roots.
  3. Insert rhizome runners into the soil.

With onion-like tuberous roots:

  1. Pull apart rootstock.
  2. Cut off wilted leaves and brown roots.
  3. Shorten young, light-colored roots to a few centimetres.
  4. Plant each section separately.

Fully submerged aquatic plants

The easiest way to propagate here is by cuttings.

  1. Cut off a ten centimeter long piece from each of the plant shoots.
  2. Place the cuttings in pots filled with pond soil about five centimeters high.
  3. Place the pots in the shallow water zone (garden pond) so deep in the water that the water level above the cuttings is about 15 to 20 centimeters.
  4. Use small wooden sticks as supports until roots develop. This prevents the cuttings from being torn out of their pots by buoyancy or a current.
  5. The water temperature should be above 15 degrees Celsius - this will accelerate the rooting of the cuttings.

floating plants

Native floating plants that are not sensitive to frost can be propagated in autumn. To do this, simply pull apart the rhizomes and then place them back on the water.

Exotic floating plants must be removed from your garden pond during the autumn and winter months. Keep them indoors in a warm water aquarium. It is important to illuminate the aquarium or the plants sufficiently. The floating plants form short spurs on the water surface, on which new daughter plants develop. These often act very independently - they soon cut themselves off on their own. Otherwise you can carefully separate them from the mother plant and put them back on the water.

Category:

Vegetable garden