repotting pond plants, what kind of soil should I use?

Imaginary1226 · 08-21-2011, 07:13 PM

I have some pond plants growing out of control and I need to re-pot them. When I initially bought them they came in some kinda green stuff and I was able to cut them out of the plastic container and move them into clay pots with this stuff still attached. Sorry not sure what it is called. Anyway they need more room to spread out so I need to move them to larger pots and add some more soil. What should I use? I have water canna and some kinda hybrid plant that apparently isn't a pond plant. It is a Lobelia x gerardii 'vedrariensis' Despite that fact it is growing really well in the water. Anyway not sure what I should use to re-pot these in? Regular soil or what? I also have gravel of various sizes. Thanks

hydrophyte · 08-21-2011, 07:21 PM

This is my favorite way to pot pond plants...

Use terra cotta pot and cover hole in bottom with window screen, landscape cloth or similar porous material.
Add layer (maybe 1" or so) clay gravel, such as Turface or Schultz Aquasoil.
Add layer of garden topsoil (NOT potting soil) along with some time-release fertilizer while also situating plant roots.
Add final 1" layer of the clay gravel on top.
Enjoy.

Imaginary1226 · 08-21-2011, 07:27 PM

Awesome thanks where can I buy the clay gravel? A nursery of some sort?

hydrophyte · 08-21-2011, 07:31 PM

Many garden centers carry the Schultz stuff.

Do you have a lot of pots to plant? If it is a small amount I could also sell you some Turface-like material pretty cheap and ship in a flat rate box.

How big are the grains of the gravel you already have? If they are pretty small that material might also work. It doesn't neccesarily need to be clay, although the clay does have the beneficial nutrient-binding properties.

majstor76 · 08-21-2011, 07:40 PM

You can take buckets or flower pots (in black colour) filled with clean dirt and some gravel on top of it.

Imaginary1226 · 08-21-2011, 07:41 PM

I have 2 plants to re-pot it is a small pond so I couldn't fit too many in there. I have large size gravel which are basically smaller rocks and then I have the typical aquarium sized gravel.

Arpy · 08-23-2011, 06:55 AM

I use regular old dirt from my backyard. It's never been fertilized or anything. It's not SOIL. It's just plain dirt. I put newspaper over the bottom hole, some big sized gravel or rocks in the bottom inch, then dirt. A gravel topper is nice as well, otherwise the dirt will cloud up if the tank gets sloshed around (say, when a german shephard jumps in to cool off).

roadmaster · 08-23-2011, 08:51 AM

Cat litter (unscented),osmocote,plain potting soil works for me.

trixella · 08-23-2011, 01:31 PM

I've been using the soil (clay) from my yard and topping the pots off with a layer of black gravel.

paddles · 10-27-2011, 08:31 PM

we gave up on potting (we have a large pond) mainly we have waterlilies etc, but what I did was throw a layer (approx 6 inches) of compost into the bottom of the pond, threw stones on top (a fine gravel similar to aquarium gravel) and planted the lilies , rushes and irises directly into it. never been better. occasionally I wade in, stick my hands in and rip up a few lily corms for friends, and the rushes get thinned every year... the lotus is the only thing I keep contained, and that is contained in a seperate pond...

Tmann77 · 10-27-2011, 09:30 PM

If you are just doing lilies, I don't even pot them I just tie a rock around the tuber and sink it to the bottom, don't fertilize or anything and they do great. You can also use clay or top soil, put it in a pot and be sure to put several inches of gravel, rocks, or lava rocks on top especially if you have Koi if not your soil will end up in the bottom of the bottom making a real mess.

08-21-2011, 07:13 PM	#1
Imaginary1226 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Shrewsbury, PA Posts: 307	repotting pond plants, what kind of soil should I use? I have some pond plants growing out of control and I need to re-pot them. When I initially bought them they came in some kinda green stuff and I was able to cut them out of the plastic container and move them into clay pots with this stuff still attached. Sorry not sure what it is called. Anyway they need more room to spread out so I need to move them to larger pots and add some more soil. What should I use? I have water canna and some kinda hybrid plant that apparently isn't a pond plant. It is a Lobelia x gerardii 'vedrariensis' Despite that fact it is growing really well in the water. Anyway not sure what I should use to re-pot these in? Regular soil or what? I also have gravel of various sizes. Thanks

08-21-2011, 07:21 PM	#2
hydrophyte Sponsor (View User Tanks) PTrader: (122/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 9,151	This is my favorite way to pot pond plants... Use terra cotta pot and cover hole in bottom with window screen, landscape cloth or similar porous material. Add layer (maybe 1" or so) clay gravel, such as Turface or Schultz Aquasoil. Add layer of garden topsoil (NOT potting soil) along with some time-release fertilizer while also situating plant roots. Add final 1" layer of the clay gravel on top. Enjoy. __________________ hydrophyte Visit the Riparium Supply vendor forum!

08-21-2011, 07:31 PM	#4
hydrophyte Sponsor (View User Tanks) PTrader: (122/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 9,151	Many garden centers carry the Schultz stuff. Do you have a lot of pots to plant? If it is a small amount I could also sell you some Turface-like material pretty cheap and ship in a flat rate box. How big are the grains of the gravel you already have? If they are pretty small that material might also work. It doesn't neccesarily need to be clay, although the clay does have the beneficial nutrient-binding properties. __________________ hydrophyte Visit the Riparium Supply vendor forum!

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08-21-2011, 07:27 PM	#3
Imaginary1226 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Shrewsbury, PA Posts: 307	Awesome thanks where can I buy the clay gravel? A nursery of some sort?

08-21-2011, 07:40 PM	#5
majstor76 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: croatia Posts: 310	You can take buckets or flower pots (in black colour) filled with clean dirt and some gravel on top of it.

08-21-2011, 07:41 PM	#6
Imaginary1226 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Shrewsbury, PA Posts: 307	I have 2 plants to re-pot it is a small pond so I couldn't fit too many in there. I have large size gravel which are basically smaller rocks and then I have the typical aquarium sized gravel.

08-23-2011, 06:55 AM	#7
Arpy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 19	I use regular old dirt from my backyard. It's never been fertilized or anything. It's not SOIL. It's just plain dirt. I put newspaper over the bottom hole, some big sized gravel or rocks in the bottom inch, then dirt. A gravel topper is nice as well, otherwise the dirt will cloud up if the tank gets sloshed around (say, when a german shephard jumps in to cool off).

08-23-2011, 08:51 AM	#8
roadmaster Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Missouri united states Posts: 690	Cat litter (unscented),osmocote,plain potting soil works for me.

08-23-2011, 01:31 PM	#9
trixella Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 732	I've been using the soil (clay) from my yard and topping the pots off with a layer of black gravel.

10-27-2011, 08:31 PM	#10
paddles Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 53	we gave up on potting (we have a large pond) mainly we have waterlilies etc, but what I did was throw a layer (approx 6 inches) of compost into the bottom of the pond, threw stones on top (a fine gravel similar to aquarium gravel) and planted the lilies , rushes and irises directly into it. never been better. occasionally I wade in, stick my hands in and rip up a few lily corms for friends, and the rushes get thinned every year... the lotus is the only thing I keep contained, and that is contained in a seperate pond...

10-27-2011, 09:30 PM	#11
Tmann77 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Hebron, Ky. Posts: 49	If you are just doing lilies, I don't even pot them I just tie a rock around the tuber and sink it to the bottom, don't fertilize or anything and they do great. You can also use clay or top soil, put it in a pot and be sure to put several inches of gravel, rocks, or lava rocks on top especially if you have Koi if not your soil will end up in the bottom of the bottom making a real mess.