Waterweed is a popular plant when it comes to planting a garden pond. Except for one species, it is native to this country. Therefore, the requirements for their settlement are not difficult to meet. Maintenance can also be mastered.

Waterweed can be planted or floated

Your entry into the garden pond

You only need a portion of a waterweed plant to grow entire underwater forests. It doesn't even have to have roots. Various types are commercially available. Since the plant is not under nature protection, it can also come from the wild. You can plant waterweed in the bottom of the pond or float it in the water.

tips

You can find interesting information about this aquatic plant in our profile.

location and water quality

Waterweed is robust, can grow well in both cold and warm water temperatures and forms shoots up to 3 m long. A sunny spot is required, partial shade is also acceptable. Ideally, the pond water is clean and clear. But even slight cloudiness and dirt are not a hindrance to growth.

Fertilize only when necessary

The waterweed draws the required nutrients from the pond water and thus prevents an algal bloom. Should the nutrient concentration fall below her needs, she will show this with paler leaf color. Then fertilize as follows:

  • use a liquid fertilizer for pond plants
  • Dose fertilizer cautiously
  • Discontinue fertilizing once the deficiency symptoms have disappeared

Cutting and shortening are essential

You almost always have to fight the spread of waterweed so that other aquatic plants don't get left behind. Thin them out regularly or at least shorten the shoots.

The waterweed serves as a spawning ground for newts. Wait until June when all the larvae have had a chance to hatch before cutting. Don't drop clippings in the water, as new plants will reproduce from them and increase the overgrowth.

tips

Put the waterweed in the pond with a plant basket (€11.99) so that you can later get the plant out of the pond more easily for the required volume limitation.

Overwintering usually takes place in the pond

Native waterweed species are sufficiently hardy to spend the entire winter outside in a pond that is not entirely frozen. Only the Argentine waterweed is conditionally hardy. If you have an aquarium, you can overwinter a piece of it in case the specimen freezes to death outdoors. Since this species also needs light in winter, it can also die in a pond that is covered with snow.

In autumn, the shoots of the waterweed turn brown and sink to the bottom of the pond. So that they do not affect the water quality through putrefaction, you should fish them out of the water in autumn, except for a small remainder.

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