Pond Plants To Control Algae &

Balance Your Water Garden

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Selecting the right pond plants will help you balance your water garden and maintain a healthier pond
environment with less nuisance algae.
Learn how to use aquatic plants and natural pond care techniques from water garden expert, Kelly Billing.
With her knowledge and insights, you will learn how to create a balanced pond that doesnt rely on toxic
chemicals or expensive mechanical filters by using natural solutions.
In this guide, we will explain the preferred types of aquatic plants, how to use plants for oxygenation /
filtration, the difference between cool / warm season plants, and when to choose floating, submerged, shallow
water, and other plants for your pond that will naturally improve water quality.

Table Of Contents Pond Plants For Your Water Garden

Why Should I Add Water Plants To My Pond?
Types Of Aquatic Plants For Your Water Garden
How To Add Plants To Your Water Garden
Should I Use A Container For My Pond Plants?
Choosing the Right Water Plants For Your Pond
Maintaining A Natural Water Garden
 Plant Tips From A Water Gardening Pro:
From our interview with Kelly Billing, we learned these helpful tips about maintaining pond plants to keep in
mind while reading this article. If you have any experiences to add, please leave them in the comments section
at the end. Please read this other article to learn specific tips for Spring start-up and debris clean up in your
pond.
Have a good mix of warm season, cool season, and perennial plants.
Remove any foliage that is leaning or deteriorating into pond, this is fuel for algae.
Keep things neat, orderly, and fresh so you can naturally maintain the pond over depending on
chemicals.
 Use a pump or filter to circulate water in your pond for oxygenation. Movement in water will boost
your plants natural filtration system by helping trap more sediments.

Why Should I Add Water Plants To My Pond?

By adding pond plants you can boost your ecosystem to be more balanced, oxygenated, and improve water
filtration.
There are many ways to maintain a balanced pond, but using plants is the best long term solution to combat
nuisance algae and stimulate a healthy habitat that your fish will love!
If your pond is 100 gallons or 100,000 gallons the addition of pond plants will decrease the amount of
maintenance to keep your pond water clean and is a great alternative to expensive UV pond filters.

How Does A Water Garden Naturally Filter My

Pond?

Pond plants filter sediments and pollution from your pond, just like trees filter carbon from the air we breathe
to produce oxygen.
Water plants with deep root systems trap harmful toxic compounds and carbon dioxide before breaking down
these pathogens and excess nutrients to release oxygen back into the pond. Aquatic plants that have high
nutrient uptake will be extremely helpful to clear up your pond.
Use floating and submerged plants in combination to produce oxygen while limiting the development of
algae. Aquatic plants that float on the surface provide coverage and areas for the good bacteria to grow.

How Do Aquatic Plants For Ponds Combat Algae

Growth?
Plants combat algae growth by filtering out excess nitrate & phosphate nutrients, producing oxygen, and
providing shade for your pond. One of the leading causes of algae growth are from waste and decaying plants.
So remember to always remove decaying plant matter before it builds up!
By providing lots of shade, floating pond plants block excess sunlight limiting photosynthesis of algae in the
water and keeping the water temperature cooler. (Algae love warmer temperatures which is why we see
some algae blooms become toxic in the Summer.)
Although pond plants are not going to be able to help you remove all algae from your pond, a good mix
of aquatic pond plants can really help prevent and control algae in your pond during peak algae season.

It is best to plant water plants prior to the peak of

algae season so the purifying benefits can be
optimized.
Kelly Billing
How Are Water Plants Good For Fish And Wildlife?

Water plants are extremely beneficial for fish and other wildlife because they produce more oxygen in the
water which help your pond friends breathe and reduce nuisance algae naturally.
In cooler seasons, pond plants provide shelter for your pals underwater and on the surface to cling onto while
winter is coming.
In warmer seasons, floating plants can keep the water temperature down by providing shade during those hot
summer days.
Bog Beans are a good shallow water plant for frogs because their buoyancy allows frogs to hang onto the plant
and hide from predators. Turtles also love Water Poppy and Frog Bits as a food source.
A great critter friendly floating leaf plant is Spatterdock, which is a good Water Lily alternative because the koi
and other fish dont mess with it as much.
Submerged plants are vital in providing oxygen for your fish while also acting as a good place for them to hide
from predators. This type of plant also acts as a critical surface for fry (babies) to hide. However, they are often
uprooted and eaten by koi so make sure to create protective boundaries around them.

Dont plant plants when theyre off season and

resting. Instead, plant them a little before their
active season.
Kelly Billing
Types Of Aquatic Plants For Your Water
Garden
Click the tabs below to learn about the different varieties of plants to choose from and which to avoid. There
are of course hundreds of varieties and we are focusing on why to choose each type of pond plant for your
pond.
It doesnt matter which style pond you have, adding plants will greatly help you to maintain a healthier
ecosystem.
Floating Plants
Bog & Shallow Water Plants

Submerged Plants

Prohibited Plants

Will My Climate And Location Affect Plants?

You will find that different plants will be more appropriate for your pond depending on what climate zone you
are in and what time of year it is. It is best to plant a combination of cool and warm season plants so that you
have algae control from pond plants year-round.
Plants will rapidly grow in the early summer for warm season plants and early spring for cool season plants.
Algae blooms most often occur in early spring before the plants bloom and late summer when the plants start
to rest. Effectively planning ahead to add plants during these seasonal changes will greatly increase your
chances of avoiding nuisance algae.

Cool Season Water Plants

Cool season plants start growing in the winter so they can be active during early spring to combat early spring
algae blooms. Some rest through the summer and fall before waking up again in the following winter.
Warm Season Water Plants
Warm season plants start growing in the late spring so they are active through the summer to battle late
summer algae blooms. They rest during cooler seasons from late fall until late spring.

You have to factor seasonal and temperature differences when building and maintaining your pond. For
instance, northern areas require a pond depth of 24 to 36 inches to ensure that the pond wont freeze solid
during winter. Meanwhile in warmer and tropical areas, it is important to line the bottom of the pond correctly
because heat can cause fluctuations in the material.
For example Giant Sensitive Plants, Mermaid Plants, and Water Wisteria will do very well in Southern
tropical weather whereas Forget-Me-Nots and Water Hawthorns will do well in the north as cool season plants.

How To Add Plants To Your Water Garden

Build your pond with sloped sides for planting terraces or shelves, stepping
down toward the pond area to allow for plant and habitat diversity for critters. Introduce your plants onto each
plant shelf along the edge or into a container where water plants can become sustainable for planting.
An alternative to planting directly into the pond is a vegetative filter, which is a filtration system that is grown
in a separate container connected to the pond and provides benefits to the water circulating from the container
to the pond with less risk to the plants. Create a barrier or boundary between the plant base and pond critters
using rocks so they wont eat your precious water plants.

How Many Plants Should I Add?

The following table offers a rough guide to how many plants you should plant according to your ponds
approximate surface area. A good rule of thumb is to plant one bunch per square foot of water surface.

Source
2m 4m 6m 8m 10m 12m

Water Lilies 1 2 3 3 4 5

Marginal Plants 8 14 18 24 30 36

Oxygenating Plants (bunches) 15 30 45 60 75 90

 Floating Plants 2 3 4 6 8 12

Should I Use A Container For My Pond Plants?

Source

To begin planting, you must decide whether your pond plants will be directly planted or kept in containers. It is
best to have a combination of both naturally planted and potted plants in your pond.
Floating plants that are big bloomers, such as Water Hawthorn, Lilies, and Lotuses, should be kept in shallow
containers with no holes for easy maintenance.
Marginal or shallow water plants like Reeds, Rushes, and Iris, are good filter plants because of their massive
root systems. These plants should be kept in baskets or geo-textile bags full of pea gravel or calcined clay so
their roots can penetrate to spread and grab nutrients from the water column. Use faster growing marginal and
bog plants as aquatic ground covers because these taller plants add decorative foliage and camouflage plant
containers.

Will A Liner Affect My Pond Plants?

Your pond liner defines what types of plants you can use, the boundaries you need to establish for the roots,
and how likely you are to develop a nasty algae bloom. Take the types of plants you will be using in
consideration when choosing a pond liner. If you have a rock lined or earth bottom pond; it is best to not
use the following plants.

Earth Bottom Parrots Feather Water Hawthorn Clover Horsetail

Rock Lined Water Willow Clover Horsetail Cat Tails

The roots from your pond plants can also penetrate your pond liner and create a bigger problem for you in the
form of a leak or worse. Be very careful after planting your seeds in earth bottom ponds because once they
grow, it may become a problem before you even see it.
Choosing The Right Water Plants For Your
Pond
Its time to select the perfect water plants for your pond!
While there are many options for pond plants, weve compiled a list of popular aquatic plants to help you
establish your water garden. Based on the expertise from pond experts and pond owners, if you are new to the
hobby we recommend water lilies due to their resilience to any region or season and their iconic image in
backyard ponds.

Plant Name: Water Lily

Plant Type: Floating
Season: Warm
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: Water lilies are a top choice among pond owners. This popular water plant does well in any region
and season.
They provide a lot of surface cover against heat during the warmer weather and shelter fish from predators.
Plant Name: Water Lotus
Plant Type: Floating
Season: Warm
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This pond plant is one of the oldest cultivated aquatic plants out there for your water garden.
Lotuses are known for high nutrient uptake and naturally circulating water. They have a substantial growth rate
and are characterized by shooting up out of the water so are ideal for larger ponds.
Plant Name: Water Hawthorn
Plant Type: Floating Leaf
Season: Cool
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This plant can act as a natural biological filter for your pond but is only active when pond water is
below 65 degrees in temperature.
These are a good season extender since they are active when waterlilies are not and the blooms are fragrant as
well as edible.
Plant Name: Anacharis & Vallisneria
Plant Type: Submerged
Season: Warm
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This plant is a good filter for trapping sediments to improve water clarity. They also provide a lot of
oxygen to your pond since they are known as oxygenating grasses.
Set grooves of them near waterfalls or where water moves by for the best effect.
Remember to reinforce boundaries with this plant because the koi love to eat them.
Plant Name: Water Celery
Plant Type: Bog/Shallow Water
Season: Cool
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This plant is ideal for ponds without rocks because they need established boundaries.
Use only the leafy parts, which are active when there is still ice in the pond and will fight algae from falling
winter debris and pollen.
Plant Name: Iris
Plant Type: Bog/Shallow Water
Season: Warm
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This is another popular plant among pond owners. Irises are typically planted in pots before being
submerged. They thrive best in direct sunlight or partial shade.
These plants will begin growing in early Spring. Divide in fall for best bloom the following year.
Plant Name: Giant Sensitive Plant
Plant Type: Floating
Season: Warm
Critter-Friendly: Yes
Benefits: This intriguing plant moves after you touch and appear sensitive. They will thrive in warmer
seasons and provide good surface cover during hot summers to reduce algae while also providing shade for
your pond pals.

Maintaining A Natural Water Garden

Successful maintenance of your pond to create a balanced ecosystem is not easy!

There are many outside contributing environmental factors that can take all the fun out of the hobby but there
are ways to stimulate improved biological filtration.
We must emphasize that natural is key. Try to use the natural elements already existing in your pond to
promote the ideal situation before resorting to mechanical and chemical vices.
We recommend natural products like barley, beneficial bacteria, and Nualgi Ponds which promotes diatom
growth to absorb excess nutrients, similarly to plants, and starve off algae.
Using a UV light system is really only a temporary fix. There are many pros and cons to UV pond filters but
in the end, it is merely an expensive mask to the bigger problem and is not as sustainable. If there is algae in
your pond, this may be indicative of an existing natural imbalance.
Remember be patient when starting your water garden, for nature will always set a pace for the best outcome.

Balance Your Pond With A Natural Solution

Safe for Fish, Plants, Amphibians, Birds & Pets!

Nualgi Ponds significantly improves water quality as well as the health of fish and plants. For many eutrophic
ponds, results may be visible by afternoon.
By restoring missing nutrients this brings balance to the natural marine food chain from the bottom up, by
promoting the growth of diatoms and zooplankton.
Try Nualgi in Your Pond!

Find what works for your pond before resorting to

chemicals. Its all about creating a natural
balanced ecosystem. Attention should be given to
the ecosystem as priority over killing it with
artificial vices. Kelly Billing