How to Grow Pond Plants in DIY Fish Pond:

A number of fish species can be introduced in pond having tough plants without any problem. The leaves of DIY Pond Plants are best for nipping & some species will take advantage of water wisteria leaves.

DIY Pond plants are gorgeous & are best for novice. They can be introduced in a small pond with a good filter. It is easy to propagate pond plants. When Water Wisteria grows, its leaves provide extensive foliage that looks best in the pond background.

Pond plants are hardy & do not require high maintenance. The size of pond plant can be very large for example its height can reach 20 inches when it is kept in a typical position, so it looks best in the background. The growth of DIY pond plants is either upward or outward, & a single bunch of the plant can be 10 inches in width, which makes it the best choice & needs trimming in case your pond size is small.

Additional carbon dioxide is not required & also there is no need for too much lighting.

We have put DIY pond plants in a netted pot before introducing them to pond. Net pot is made up of rigid plastic mesh & it helps in drainage & air circulation. It can help develop healthy root system as roots receive moisture & nutrients from the water flowing through the mesh.


Water Wisteria:

Water Wisteria is very important for your pond. Water Wisteria grows when submerged. It can be transplanted & propagated easily so this plant is rated for novice. Water Wisteria is available at a number of fish stores & it can be obtained from garden supply & pond equipment centers. High care is not required & maintenance is simple. Water Wisteria helps in oxygenation & can assist in meeting the biological needs of the fish.

Water Wisteria produces green leaves that seem like ferns. The leaves of Water Wisteria grows up to 10 cm. They are produced in opposite direction from each other from small branches. The leaves on vertical branches of Water Wisteria that reach water surface change its shape & they start growing while floating on water surface. If Water Wisteria floats on the surface of water, it can flower too. The leaves of branches of this plant are weak. Branches are grown in horizontal & vertical direction. The horizontal runners produce roots in substrate & can make vertical branches as well. The runners will ultimately become vertical branches.

Water Wisteria can grow at fastest rate when it is submerged & kept in moderate light. Water Wisteria can grow happily but a little slowly when kept in low lighting. This plant can endure in pH ranging from 5 – 9 & the best temperature for Water Wisteria is from 20 to 28 Degree Celsius. Water Wisteria is a tropical plant.

Water Wisteria is a hardy plant that was originally known as an ornamental tank plant but hobbyists now keep this plant in ponds. Water Wisteria needs low maintenance & offers needed nutrition to the ecosystem of the pond.

Water Wisteria can easily propagate itself. The ends of the floating branches can break off water wisteria into small pieces. The small floating pieces that enters the substrate bed can produce roots & form new plants.

Water Wisteria can be propagated through cutting. It is advisable to cut off a branch with only 6 leaves on it. Trim the bottom 2 leaves off & put them in a netted pot & fill it with gravel & put it inside pond. It will make roots fast.


Grow Water Wisteria in Pond:

It is easy to grow Water Wisteria in pond. Modern to bright lights are the best condition for this plant but it can grow even in low lighting.

This plant can grow either floating on surface or rooted in gravel, in shallow water. It can reach a height of 20 inches & 10 inches wide, but if pond conditions are not best, for example in case of low light, it can cause narrower leaves & its size in smaller.


Planting water wisteria
Planting water wisteria


I added water wisteria to a netted pot. Then filled it with substrate to protect wisteria from getting hurt. Ensure you do not accidentally damage stem or roots of plants & plant is located at the center of the netted pot before filling it up with substrate. Also choose a large netted pot because this plant can grow fast up to 50 cm.

Introducing water wisteria to pond
Introducing water wisteria to pond


Rinse the pot, gravel & plant before adding it to aquarium to remove impurities. Put the pot at the bottom of aquarium & ensure it is fully submerged. Fill the pond slowly with de-chlorinated water. 

Watch how to grow DIY pond plants in a pond in a video below:


How to grow DIY Pond Plants?


Vallisneria:

Vallisneria is a popular pond plant. Other names of this plant are eelgrass, vallis, & tape grass. Vallisneria is a fresh water plant that hobbyists keep in pond or tank. It is a hardy plant best for novice. Hobbyists in early days keep this plant in tank & still Vallisneria is popular & a lot of people keep this plant in pond.

This plant grows in slow moving water, & can be discovered in streams or ponds. Vallisneria grows in shallow water, & are rarely found in deep waters that are over ten feet deep.

Vallisneria is a hardy plant & can survive in harsh conditions.

When you are selecting substrate for pond, then my suggestion is to use CaribSea Eco-Complete. This can help in the growth of Vallisneria & they grow lush & thick.

This plant does not require addition of carbon dioxide, as it grow in shallow water which does not posses enough carbon dioxide. It requires addition of iron rich fertilizer to increase its growth. Fertilizer can be added to pond on a weekly basis if you are looking for best growth.

Vallisneria requires high lighting but it can grow well even in moderate light. But in medium light, the cultivation rate of tape grass is slower. If you wish to choose a lighting for vallisneria, then ensure you choose a high quality LED or a plant bulb.

Don’t trim tape grass leaves, & damaging the leaves can rot the plant & will pollute the water. If you wish to trim leaves of tape grass then my recommendation is to use sharp scissor.

Vallisneria propagate through runners in pond, which will root, & then cultivate into a new plant. Do not cut runners from tape grass, until the full growth of plant leaves. Then it can be moved & replant somewhere else in pond. It often needs up to 4 weeks for tape grass to adjust to being relocated & begin growing again.

Vallisneria rarely cultivates through indoor seeds, & it usually only grows in ponds. The efficient way of growing this plant in pond is through seeds. During cultivation, white female flowers grow to the surface of water while small little male flowers escape & float to surface. They are then caught by female flowers & it assist in plant pollination.


Grow Vallisneria in Pond:


Vallisneria
Vallisneria


Growing Vallisneria in pond is very easy. Vallisneria needs high lighting & can grow in modern lights as well.

It does not require carbon dioxide because it grows in shallow water with low carbon dioxide which makes it a beginner's plant. 


How to grow Vallisneria in a pond?
How to grow Vallisneria in a pond?


I put Vallisneria in a netted pot. Then filled it with gravel to save the plant from getting hurt. Make sure you do not hurt the plant & fit it in the mid of the pot & fill pot with gravel. Make sure you select a big netted pot because Vallisneria grows very fast.

Rinse the pot before using it to remove impurities & wash the gravels. Place the netted pot at the bottom of the pond & make sure it is fully submerged in water. Fill up the pond with de-chlorinated water. 


Java Fern:

Java Fern is a beautiful plant that can grow when fully or partially submerged in water. It can be attached to rock or structures. There is no need to add fertilizers for Java Fern growth which makes it beginner’s friendly. A lot of hobbyists keep Java Fern in ponds because of its simple maintenance & beauty. You can tie or glue its rhizome to driftwood & structure.

Java Fern is discovered in South East Asia & it grows like a jungle. It cultivates in tropical rain forests, like grass. Java Fern cultivates when completely or partially submerged in water.

This plant has been used by hobbyists in aquariums or pond for a long time. Most famous Java Fern available in fish stores are narrow leaf, needle leaf, windelov & trident.

Java Fern is an inexpensive plant & you can purchase a little plant for about 4 to 5 dollars. Sometimes they are already attached to driftwood, that you can keep straight in pond.

At the time of buying Java Fern, they will be typically around 3 to 5 inches long. Ensure buying a healthy plant, with no brown edging & green healthy leaves.


How to attach Java Fern to Rock, Structure or Driftwood:


Java fern & driftwood
Java fern & driftwood

We have provided instructions on how to attach Java Fern to driftwood. Java Fern is attached to 2 driftwoods via glue & both of the driftwoods are placed inside pond. Check out a video about how to attach Java Fern to driftwood:


Attach java fern to driftwood


Make sure you wash driftwood & java fern before adding it to pond. Boil driftwood, or structure before putting them in pond.


Java fern is inside the bucket & driftwood is on the table
Java fern is inside the bucket & driftwood is on the table


Boil driftwood to remove all the germs & tannins. Make sure driftwood is dried before gluing Java Fern to it.

Attaching Java Fern to driftwood is a good idea. However, there are other possible ways to complete this process too.


Big plant & glue
Big plant is on the left side, & glue I have used is on the right side of above photo


I am using non drip gel for gluing java fern to driftwood.


I have attached java fern to the spot shown in left side photo
I have attached java fern to the spot shown in left side photo


I have found spot on driftwood where java fern can be attached. Attaching Java Fern to driftwood can be completed in a number of ways. As long as rhizome of java fern is attach to the driftwood, java fern will be stable & will grow well. The roots of Java Ferns can absorb nutrients from water.


Do not glue java fern roots to driftwood
Do not glue java fern roots to driftwood

Do not glue roots of java fern to driftwood because they are used for absorbing fish waste & help the growth of plant.

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