Planting in Pea Gravel
Edchur
Pickeral rush, Canna.
Can pea gravel be used for any and all rooted plants?
How do you fertilize them? Wouldn't the pellet dissolve into the water without
even being trapped by soil.?? Wouldn't this promote algae growth?
Is there anything else i may want to consider?
Thanks in advance
Ed (Metro Detroit ),
jan jordan
Hi Ed in MDetroit,
I think the idea of pea gravel is to the get the plants to take their
nutrients from the water, so if you have enough fish you shouldn't need to
fertilize them. <hehe> but I don't use pea gravel so that's just my best
guess. ;o)
~Keep 'em Wet~
~ jan, Zone 7a ~
Remove Z to E-mail
SSherr1033
I only plant in pea gravel (except lotus). I use the fertilizer tabs as
directed, I just shove them in there. I do make the hole in the gravel with my
finger, hold it in place and then slip the tab in. I also use Aquatic Plant
Stimulator, I read about it here last year. I don't think that using the
fertilizer tabs promotes algae, I've never had pea green water in three years.
(Knock wood, hope saying it doesn't make it happen).
Sherr
Bonnie Espenshade
I put my cattails and pickeral rush in pea gravel in the fall. Plan to add the
canna soon. I also used this method for the umbrella palm, sedges and papayrus.
So far they all seem to be doing well. I don't fertilize them at all, just let
them absorb the nutrients from the water. Haven't tried this with the lilies as of
yet - still debating.
--
Bonnie
NJ
http://www.users.fast.net/~maebe/index.htm
Edchur wrote:
> I would like to experiment with planting in Pea gravel.. Lilies, cattails,
> Pickeral rush, Canna.
>
> Can pea gravel be used for any and all rooted plants?
>
> How do you fertilize them? Wouldn't the pellet dissolve into the water without
> even being trapped by soil.?? Wouldn't this promote algae growth?
>
> Is there anything else i may want to consider?
>
Mark V. Pelton
pot off with about 2 inces of pea gravel to hold the dirt in. Works
great, never have a problem with the fertilizer or dirt getting
into the water.
Mark in Michigan
Pam Ingle
Plants do well in pea gravel..........well until you try to divide them.
It's much easier to cut through soil with a knife or saw than pea gravel.
Pam
Bonnie Espenshade wrote in message <372ED803...@fast.net>...
Marion Margoshes
-- How deep in the pot do you plant a hardy lilly? I have read it all,
but am still unsure. I bought two lilies at Home Depot, but now am
intimidated.
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Go Fig
wrote:
Most lilies can handle up to 25" easy. . .the more important factor is sun
exposure and pesky fish.
jay
Tue, May 4, 1999
> ==Pisces
> m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
>
> I tried a combination of lessons I've learned right here. Divided a lily into
> three, following the Plant Place instructions. Planted them in baskets I
> bought from Aqua-Mart. Planted them INa kitty litter base, per K30 and others,
> and covered them with pea gravel. Oh, I used weed-control fabric in the
> baskets to keep dust, clay, etc. from seeping into the water. No fertilizer
> and don't plan to add any all summer ......er.... unless the lilies seem to
> need it!
>
> Ed in Chicago
-- No fertilizer because the fish are providing nutrients??? If my fish
are only a few feeder goldfish, to control mosquitos, would I be better
off planting in soil and using fertilizer?
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
-- Do you mean the depth of the pond or of the pot?
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Texxi
medium.. hope you didn't buy that overpriced cat litter Home Depot passes
off as *aquatic plant soil*.. get some cheap.. and I mean cheap.. the store
brand, that is PLAIN CLAY cat litter and rinse it several times to get rid
of the dust.. and plant away. I recently planted one fom Home Depot as well
and within 3 days it had started sprouting up the leaves. They are easier
than you think they are! I was a bit intimidated at first as well but they
do quite well.
Lotts2c
(Edchur) writes:
>I would like to experiment with planting in Pea gravel.. Lilies, cattails,
>Pickeral rush, Canna.
>
>Can pea gravel be used for any and all rooted plants?
>
>How do you fertilize them? Wouldn't the pellet dissolve into the water
>without
>even being trapped by soil.?? Wouldn't this promote algae growth?
>
>Is there anything else i may want to consider?
>
Hi Ed,
Last year I planted all of those and more in pea gravel and baskets . The
plants use the nitrates in the water so I had no need for plant tabs. I
experienced not a day of green water. As the water in my area is very alkaline,
I did use Aquarium Pharmaceutical's Aquatic Plant Stimulator twice last year.
It helps to green up the plants when nutrients other than nitrogen or
phosphorus are lacking.
The benefits of gravel planting media are many. Dividing is a snap, no clay in
the water to cause cloudiness, plant roots use the nitrates and don't leave as
much left over for algae, no need to buy fertilizer.....
Wash it well first, if you decide to use it.
...elizabeth
http://hometown.aol.com/lotts2c/life1/index.htm
EM436
Lotts2c
>How deep in the pot do you plant a hardy lilly? I have read it all,
>but am still unsure. I bought two lilies at Home Depot, but now am
>intimidated.
Hey marion,
Don't be intimidated :-)
Plant with the crown (where the roots meet the leaves) just above the
surface. Hardies are very forgiving and besides, Home Depot has a one year
guarantee, ya can't go wrong.
...elizabeth
http://hometown.aol.com/lotts2c/life1/index.htm
Lotts2c
writes:
>Plants do well in pea gravel..........well until you try to divide them.
>It's much easier to cut through soil with a knife or saw than pea gravel.
>
Pam, I'm sure that's true. All it took for me this spring is a couple gentle
shakes to the rootball and all the gravel fell away from the roots completely.
Then I just cut thru the plant and not the planting media.
...elizabeth
http://hometown.aol.com/lotts2c/life1/index.htm
Edchur
>Pickeral rush, Canna.
Seems that, with this and everything else associated with ponds, there is a
difference of opinion. This is my second season. 5 X 8 X3 ft abount 800 gl
(ph 8.6), I have 10 GF anywhere from 4 to 2 1/2 inches, Would they provide
enough nutrients for 1 or 2 lilies, 1 cannas, 1 pickeral rush, much anacharis,
parrots feather, 2 cattails, later some WHyacinth and Lettuce? or do I add
more fish? or go with a liquid fertilizer?
Last year everything was in soil/clay, water was very, very clear but WH would
go pale green then yellow. I attributed this to hardness and lack of
available nutrients.
I appreciate all the input. I'll try the pea gravel for everything but the
lilies. and watch the growth and coloring.. if need be I'll add pond tabs to
gravel.
I know there are multiple ??? and answers embedded here but my mind is running
from questions to solutions and back. Additional input or suggestions always
welcome!!!!
Ed (Metro Detroit ) remove the zedz,
~ WindSong ~
Pam Ingle <pin...@viagrafix.net> wrote in article
<7go1rb$aik$2...@ionews.ionet.net>...
: Bonnie,
: Plants do well in pea gravel..........well until you try to divide
them.
: It's much easier to cut through soil with a knife or saw than pea
gravel.
: ========================================
You got that right! Everything around here is going back in soil
topped with gravel.
--
Carol... the Frugal fishkeeper...
"Laugh alone and the world thinks you're an idiot."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
EM436
>-- No fertilizer because the fish are providing nutrients??? If my fish
>are only a few feeder goldfish, to control mosquitos, would I be better
>off planting in soil and using fertilizer?
> ==Pisces
Marion, that's the general idea, but I have no idea if it will really work.
Not sure if my two koi and six fat comets will provide enough nutrients. So
far the lillies look fine, but it's only been two days since I divided them.
I'll report back in June! Don't know if your fish will be enough to feed the
plants. Wiser folks than me will probably jump in.
Ed in Chicago
jan jordan
What you should have done is planted one in pea gravel, one in kitty litter
and the last in sandy soil. Then reported back to rec.ponds on how well
each did, bloomed, and ease of dividing the next year (or two). Come on Ed,
play along. ;o) ~ jan
EM436
>What you should have done is planted one in pea gravel, one in kitty litter
>and the last in sandy soil. Then reported back to rec.ponds on how well
>each did, bloomed, and ease of dividing the next year (or two). Come on Ed,
>play along. ;o)
I;ve got another one to split; I'll experiment!
Ed in Chicago
Marion Margoshes
-- If you don't lose the receipts!!!! Thank you.
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
-- Thank you. You are all making me feel better! I will do it today!!!
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
>
> >I tried a combination of lessons I've learned right here. Divided a lily into
> >three, following the Plant Place instructions. Planted them in baskets I
> >bought from Aqua-Mart. Planted them INa kitty litter base, per K30 and others,
> >and covered them with pea gravel. Oh, I used weed-control fabric in the
> >baskets to keep dust, clay, etc. from seeping into the water. No fertilizer
> >and don't plan to add any all summer ......er.... unless the lilies seem to
> >need it! >Ed in Chicago
>
> and the last in sandy soil. Then reported back to rec.ponds on how well
> each did, bloomed, and ease of dividing the next year (or two). Come on Ed,
-- A true scientist !!!
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Derek Broughton
>
>Pam Ingle <pin...@viagrafix.net> wrote:
>: Plants do well in pea gravel..........well until you try to divide
>them.
>: It's much easier to cut through soil with a knife or saw than pea
>gravel.
>: ========================================
>You got that right! Everything around here is going back in soil
>topped with gravel.
I found that all that happened when I did that was that at the end of the
season the roots had managed to rearrange the gravel fairly uniformly
through the basket, and it STILL couldn't be cut with a knife. ymmv...
--
Derek (dbroughton@@usa.net, www.netcom.ca/~dbrought/pond)
rec.ponds FAQ http://w3.one.net/~rzutt/faq.html
Budget the luxuries *first*! -- Heinlein
Hal Clark
and gravel but it didn't work well for me. I use hyacinths to clean
the water and It appeared the hyacinths were the only thing doing
really well in the pond. Since then I've moved everything but
hyacinths and parrot's feather out of the pond. Now I'm planting
lilies and lotus in garden dirt in half barrel size buckets and today
I had three blooms open (first for me) in the common lily tub. I
really don't know how many separate plants I could make from what is
under the water, I'll separate them next winter, but I like what I see
on top.
Regards,
Hal
Randy in Aloha
I have to say that the subject of growing plants in a soilless media (pea
gravel) has been around for at least 25 years. Then it was called
hydroponics. Was thought to be able to feed space travelers etc. All I have
seen through the years has led me to believe that pea gravel works fine as
a growing medium. The right nutrients, etc. still must get to the roots and
the air and sunlight (or artificial in the right spectrum) to the leaves. I
am starting a lily this spring in this manner and will report what happens.
So far (2 weeks) nothing. HaHa. But the weather has been cold. 39F tonight.
Randy in Aloha
--
http://homestead.dejanews.com/user.randyinaloha/index.html
Edchur <edc...@aol.comzedz> wrote in article
<19990504221255...@ng-cl1.aol.com>...
Edchur
>Hi Ed, have been following this thread to see if I can learn something.
>I have to say that the subject of growing plants in a soilless media (pea
>gravel) has been around for at least 25 years. Then it was called
>hydroponics. Was thought to be able to feed space travelers etc. All I have
>seen through the years has led me to believe that pea gravel works fine as
>a growing medium. The right nutrients, etc. still must get to the roots and
>the air and sunlight (or artificial in the right spectrum) to the leaves. I
>am starting a lily this spring in this manner and will report what happens.
>So far (2 weeks) nothing. HaHa
Hi Randy, I have planted some pickeral rusj in pea gravel and I will try
cattails. . .. I don't think I will have any problems with these two. I
purchased a cannas, so it is in soil or clay and I have a lily, and I don't
want to transplant it, yet maybe next year, hopefully it will develop another
eye before I try the pea gravel..
I worry about too much nitrogen being free in the water, and any trace
elements the plants need (I guess that is where the liquid plant food enhancer
comes in.
Post you experience as the season moves on.
Brian Gohl
did wonderful though it appeared that there was more of the root system
trailing out of the containers. Thinning and dividing was a breeze this
year!
> Hi Randy, I have planted some pickeral rusj in pea gravel and I will try
> cattails. . .. I don't think I will have any problems with these two. I
> purchased a cannas, so it is in soil or clay and I have a lily, and I don't
> want to transplant it, yet maybe next year, hopefully it will develop another
> eye before I try the pea gravel..
>
> I worry about too much nitrogen being free in the water, and any trace
> elements the plants need (I guess that is where the liquid plant food enhancer
> comes in.
>
> Post you experience as the season moves on.
>
> Ed (Metro Detroit ) remove the zedz,
--
Brian Gohl
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.spiritone.com/~bgohl