Allan Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I set up a tub pond with cardinal flower, sedge grass and blue flag iris. I put the plants in dirt inside cloth pots. Second guessing the dirt now, should they be in a coarser substrate or is this fine? My wife is sure this is going to end up as a mosquito breeder so I want to be as successful as possible on the first try. So what do you think, leave the plants in dirt or replant in gravel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keddre Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I do dirt in pots with a gravel or sand topper, but mine are also completely submerged for my fish to rummage trough. If your worried about mosquitos, checkout mosquito fish, they are smaller (2-ish inches) and can handle temp swings small ponds like that have, or add a small solar air pump. Squitos don't like movement 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Posted April 26, 2022 Author Share Posted April 26, 2022 Thanks, I think I'll top them with gravel too. I want to submerge them but thought I'd wait a few weeks to see what happens. I plan to add endlers once the temperatures rise a little more, and a small water pump is on the way for movement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 Nice plant choices, @Allan. I hope your wife comes around to loving the tub! Tub pond expert Ted Coletti says soil is fine and gives some plants like water lilies the best chance at success. I bought a Prince Tut grass and plan to just submerge the pot it came in, with gravel on top of the soil. For my pond baskets, I plan to line them with paper grocery bags so the soil won't come right out the holes in the sides and bottom of the baskets and muddy up the tub; by the time the paper is soaked through, the soil should be wet enough to stay in place and the paper wil be soft enough for roots to get through and out into the water column. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Posted April 27, 2022 Author Share Posted April 27, 2022 I like the paper bag idea. I'll have to remember that for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ted Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 Hi and thanks for your kind words! I plant most of my marginals in plain pea gravel in perforated pots so they filter the water for my fish (no mechanical stuff). Waterlilies and lotus get solid pots with clay amendment in soil, and granulated Landon's fertilizer. I fertilize both these systems, weekly the solid pots, and sporadically (and only one at a time) the perforated. Or none at all for the basketed. Plants evolved to grow in dirt so you can never go wrong with a solid pot. But they won't filter the tub. Latest edition of my book was published in SPring and I also do club talks via Soom if available. https://www.amazon.com/Tub-Pond-Handbook-Comprehensive-Container/dp/B091W9WLDP keep on tubbin! Dr. Ted 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing Matt Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 You can check out @Streetwise, He has done walsted style tubs and you could take some lessons from how he does it. I recognize a pot is a little different. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Posted July 12, 2022 Author Share Posted July 12, 2022 Update. Took out the grass and replaced it with cattails from the ditch, it was surviving but not growing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 I love using topsoil for plants. I hope that this forum has shown that it is easy and simple. I prefer a gravel cap so mulm can join the soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Posted July 12, 2022 Author Share Posted July 12, 2022 That reminds me. I used kitty litter for a cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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