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"What do you recommend for growing your water plants?"
We have trialled many products and discovered the benefits that our Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix has in improving the properties of any potting soil and when combined with Oz Watergardens Pond Plant Fertiliser Tablets the results are healthy strong water plants.
Why should I repot my water plants?
Pond plants are just the same as any other plant, in that they have similar needs. Any plant that is growing in a container that is too small or overgrown is restricted in their growth, which reduces new growth and their ability to flower. Overgrown pond plants can easily be divided to produce more plants. Old growth can be cut away and the healthiest plants may be kept to produce the best show. Why should I use an aquatic planting mix instead of a normal potting mix?
In order to get the best from your pond plants, a good quality aquatic planting mix is essential. Unlike mixes for terrestrial plants, the mix or soil needs to hold the plant in place without clouding the water or clogging pumps.
Standard potting mixes are made from pinebark or other composts. They are ideal for terrestrial plants but can cause problems in ponds. Many potting mixes are designed to be free draining and as a result can lose much of the fertiliser added to them. This can be a disastrous in ponds as the nutrients leach out feeding algal blooms or may become toxic to fish. Many composts release tannins causing the pond water to become a dark tea colour. A weak tea colour is normal in most ponds due to leaves and other debris falling into the pond water, however too much can become harmful.
Too much compost in the mix and you start to get strong organic pond smells as they slowly decompose in the pond water. Not only can the smell be offensive but they can also pollute the pond water, harming fish and other aquatic life. Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix is safe for fish and other pond life. It retains oxygen and nutrients for aquatic plant roots Absorbs ammonium and other nutrients from the water, thereby reducing algae and improving water clarity. Why should I be careful using garden soil to grow my water plants?
In nature, most aquatic plants grow in high nutrient silt that has washed down into the waterways. This would obviously be the first choice if we could choose the ideal growing media, as it would be full of minerals, nutrients and organic materials, perfect for aquatic plant growth. However this is not really an option for most manmade ponds. We cannot just go in and dig out wetland environments to collect the soil we need.
Garden soils can vary, depending on where you live, so recommendations can only be done in general terms. Sandy soils do not hold onto nutrients very well and often result in the loss of nutrients and increased algal problems. Clay soils can hold onto nutrients, but many cloud or muddy the pond water and can lead to major problems in water clarity. The ideal soil would be a silt-like loam. However there are not too many gardens that can access this type of soil. However with any soil there are potential risks. You need to know and understand the soil. Are there any toxic residues from chemicals or sprays, weeds or undesirable pests in the soil?
A tip when using soils....
As rule of thumb, we have found that soils that are suitable for growing good quality vegetables, are often suitable for aquatic plants. A trick that we have also learned is that we can improve the properties of almost any soil by incorporating some aquatic planting mix into the soil. We recommend incorporating 15-20% Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix with your soil so that your soil can be improved and benefits from the properties of this media. What is the Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix made from?
The skeletal remains of diatoms (microscopic single celled aquatic plants). The diatoms developed a shell like armour for protection (an opaline silicious structure). The shells accumulated at the bottom of a fresh water lake over millions of years and were compacted into a light weight porous rock.
What are some of its properties? Clean. Contains no pathogens or soil borne diseases. Sterilised at 650 °C. Safe. It is Non Toxic and Non hazardous. Lightweight . Highly absorbent. Will hold 150% its weight in water. Won't breakdown, as it is fossilised. Unlike water storage crystals, it does not swell, expand or contract. High surface area with a negative charge. High Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). Absorbs nutrients - particularly Ammonium (NH4+). Hold onto nutrients by attracting the positive ions and loosely binding them so that the plant roots can access them as required. Reduces nutrient loss/leaching. Insulates, aerates and promotes capillary action and can easily be mixed with other materials. The 7 benefits of the Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix.
Some other uses for the Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix.
Natural Filter - Biological filters and Reed bed filtration systems. Perfect
for Biological Pond filtration. The
millions of microscopic pores create the perfect habitat for microorganisms. Its high CEC and ability to absorb ammonium
helps to trap the food source for beneficial bacteria and reduce organic
odours. Hydroponic Growing Media Benefits - High capillary action. Sterile media. High CEC. Lightweight.
Roof Top Garden Media Benefits - Lightweight. Reducing OHS risks. Sterile media. Weed free. Clean, Non staining. High water holding capacity. 150% it own weight. High CEC, reduced fertiliser leaching and can also assist in reducing pollutants. Won't breakdown, No need to top up or replace due to media shrinkage. Excellent insulator, reduces plants stress from high media temperatures. Guarantee
Give our Oz Watergardens Aquatic Planting Mix a fair try. If you don't agree that it has helped your plants and improved their health. Contact us to send back the remainder of the packet for a full refund. |
As
Australia's preferred supplier of water plants, we are constantly asked
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