Adding Plants to Your Garden Pond

When to Plant: Mid- to late spring
At Their Best: Summer
Time to Complete: 30 minutes per plant

Materials Needed:

• aquatic plant basket or fine-netted pond bag
• aquatic soil
• trowel

• water lily or pond plant
• pea gravel

Fill a Basket

Choose an aquatic pond basket that has small holes in the sides to stop the soil from leaking out into the water. Place a layer of aquatic soil in the bottom. Don't use garden soil because it may contain nutrients that encourage algae.

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Add the Plant

Carefully remove the water lily or pond plant from its original pot and place it in the center of the basket at the same level. Fill in around the plant with more aquatic soil, firming it down with your fingertips as you go.

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Mulch With Gravel

Check the plant carefully, and clean off any duckweed (small round leaves) or algae from the stems and leaves. To stabilize the soil surface, add a layer of pea gravel; rinse it first several times to remove any impurities or dirt.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - How to Grow Practically Everything © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited