Questions & Comments
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Q. Most of the plants are for full sun to partial shade. Will they grow in full sun? Our pond gets sun all day long. -P.W.
A. Basically, it means the plant will likely do poorly if planted in a place that is mostly shady. For a detailed answer, see https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-full-sun-partial-shade-1402372. Specifically, see the section "Many Plants Are Flexible."
Each page on this St. James Pond Plants site contains a link to more information. To search even further than that, google the scientific name, such as Callicarpa Americana (American Beautyberry). -R.O'B.
A. Basically, it means the plant will likely do poorly if planted in a place that is mostly shady. For a detailed answer, see https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-full-sun-partial-shade-1402372. Specifically, see the section "Many Plants Are Flexible."
Each page on this St. James Pond Plants site contains a link to more information. To search even further than that, google the scientific name, such as Callicarpa Americana (American Beautyberry). -R.O'B.
Q. Given the current low level of our pond (down approximately 12-18 inches from normal in summer 2019), where should we plant the shallow water plants? -B.F.
A. Diana Rashash, PhD, Jacksonville office of NC Cooperative Extension., writes:
I face this issue myself all the time, as I have a "leaky" stormwater pond to deal with. When it rains, the water level goes up, then it drains down to its normal elevation. With continued dry weather, it continues to drain, but it is through soil infiltration. This causes a wider range of water movement and bank exposure.
Plants for such ponds must be able to handle both wet and dry periods. Such "muddy" edges are sometimes submerged, sometimes not (as during a drought). Of the 14 plants in the 2019 St. James sale, 6 are for muddy edges: cardinal flower, coastal joe-pye weed, scarlet rose mallow, shallow sedge, swamp sunflower, and soft rush. The soft rush also thrives in the shallow zone, making it especially well suited for ponds (like mine) that experience a wide range of water levels.
This NCSU website may be helpful: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/. It is best to enter the formal (Latin) species name into the search box. A page of information will appear about the plant's characteristics.
One advantage of planting during a drought is that you can add organic matter into the soil prior to planting in areas that are typically submerged.
As when planting almost anything, but especially important here, make sure the soil stays moist while these muddy zone plants are working to establish themselves. However, don't give them too much of a good thing. If these young plants are totally submerged for an extended period of time, they can drown. As they get larger and established, they are better able to handle extremes in water levels.
A. Diana Rashash, PhD, Jacksonville office of NC Cooperative Extension., writes:
I face this issue myself all the time, as I have a "leaky" stormwater pond to deal with. When it rains, the water level goes up, then it drains down to its normal elevation. With continued dry weather, it continues to drain, but it is through soil infiltration. This causes a wider range of water movement and bank exposure.
Plants for such ponds must be able to handle both wet and dry periods. Such "muddy" edges are sometimes submerged, sometimes not (as during a drought). Of the 14 plants in the 2019 St. James sale, 6 are for muddy edges: cardinal flower, coastal joe-pye weed, scarlet rose mallow, shallow sedge, swamp sunflower, and soft rush. The soft rush also thrives in the shallow zone, making it especially well suited for ponds (like mine) that experience a wide range of water levels.
This NCSU website may be helpful: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/. It is best to enter the formal (Latin) species name into the search box. A page of information will appear about the plant's characteristics.
One advantage of planting during a drought is that you can add organic matter into the soil prior to planting in areas that are typically submerged.
As when planting almost anything, but especially important here, make sure the soil stays moist while these muddy zone plants are working to establish themselves. However, don't give them too much of a good thing. If these young plants are totally submerged for an extended period of time, they can drown. As they get larger and established, they are better able to handle extremes in water levels.