Just for clarity to anyone who finds themselves at this video - 'most' marginals will grow perfectly well, sometimes better, if the water only comes up to the roots and doesn't go above the foliag. As mentioned in those video, most marginals are used to water coming up and down - such as in bogs or other bodies of still, marshy water/mud. For me and my large nature pond - without mechanical filters/pumps, most of my marginals either have wet roots OR the water will go above them by a couple of centimetres and they all thrive. Use a gritty subsoil (the slightly more loamy/orange soil you find below your top planting soil). Aquatic plant pots are useful if you want to prevent or slowdown spreading of fast-growing marginals, however if you have a pond which has 3m length and/or diameter, with 45+ cm depth, I find that planting into subsoil pockets freely creates a more natural look which often looks for more full and attractive for wildlife. (I hope this extra info helps someone!)
Hello Howard, thank you for your interest, this topic is covered frequently in our videos and in my book. The important thing to note is that the key word is MOST. Some plants, including Alisma, Butomus and Sagittaria will brown off rapidly and prematurely if the soil level is above water. Generalisations are always dangerous!
Just for clarity to anyone who finds themselves at this video - 'most' marginals will grow perfectly well, sometimes better, if the water only comes up to the roots and doesn't go above the foliag. As mentioned in those video, most marginals are used to water coming up and down - such as in bogs or other bodies of still, marshy water/mud.
For me and my large nature pond - without mechanical filters/pumps, most of my marginals either have wet roots OR the water will go above them by a couple of centimetres and they all thrive.
Use a gritty subsoil (the slightly more loamy/orange soil you find below your top planting soil).
Aquatic plant pots are useful if you want to prevent or slowdown spreading of fast-growing marginals, however if you have a pond which has 3m length and/or diameter, with 45+ cm depth, I find that planting into subsoil pockets freely creates a more natural look which often looks for more full and attractive for wildlife.
(I hope this extra info helps someone!)
Hello Howard, thank you for your interest, this topic is covered frequently in our videos and in my book. The important thing to note is that the key word is MOST. Some plants, including Alisma, Butomus and Sagittaria will brown off rapidly and prematurely if the soil level is above water. Generalisations are always dangerous!