I am thinking of planting some Parrot Feather this spring. Is this plant fast growing and need to be potted for containment? Spring is not that far off now for us anyway so I have been checking out some of the plant websites trying to get an idea of what to plant or float this spring. I liked the look of this plant in Waynes pond but not sure about putting it in a small pond. What do you think?

Tia

Parrot feather for me is normally not all that fast growing but when it does grow fast, it grows very fast. I think it depends on the exact conditions as to what will happen. Most years, it doesn't do much but the first year of my pond, it spread over probably six square feet (total coverage). It's supposed to be hardy but normally doesn't come back for me in Zone 6/7. Wayne's in a colder zone, and I think he said his comes back. It must be because of his pond tent room!

I think parrot feather is really pretty so I think you should try some!

I have had good luck with parrot feather buy planting it in soil instead of using it as a floater as some may tell you.
tic if I were you I would hang a 6inch pot 1 inch below the surface , filled with a clay soil 1 inch from the top of the pot. Plant about 6 spriqs of pf and then top off the pot with washed pea gravel to stop the soil from clouding the water.
I always fertilize mine by inserting a plant food stick into the soil ever 3 or 4 weeks.
Mine grows in filtered sunlight but it is fine in full sun.
You will find that if the fish spawn , they will use the pf floating on the surface.

nejme
(no expert just my experiences.)

Tia, I like Parrots Feather. In my rock pond, simply wedge it between the rocks. Mainly to keep it out of my skimmer. The Koi do like to up root it. Seems to be our game. When found in skimmer, I either wedge it back between rocks, or just toss it in the pond.

It does fine; has not taken over at all.

WW, would you use one of those pots with the holes in it? And if so would you line it? I have been using the ones with the little tiny holes all over the sides and bottom. Then I line the inside with landscape cloth which seems to work OK for the 2 Lillie's that I have. They look sort of like these: http://www.aqua-mart.com/laplba.html
Are you talking about regular clay soil like you get from your yard or is this something special??
I had a clover plant that I took out that was in a pot with no holes at all. I suppose that was b/c it is very invasive. :unsure:
I think I could hang the planter on the end of my pond about the middle of the arch. That end wall should be strong enough to support the weight.
What kind of plant food stakes do you use? Are they like the ones for Lillie's?

Help me Wayne, help me! :lol: :lol: :)

I don't have any koi and don't plan on getting any in the near future so up rooting souldn't be a problem.

Yes just regular clay cause potting soil gets to soft and won,t hold the plants in place. Plus it may leach too many nutients into the water to feed alge.
I wouldn't use those pots with all the tiny holes cause in this case we are trying to keep the nutients in close to the roots of the pf and not leaching out into the pond.
Jb is right you can let them feed off the nutients in the water, but they won't get as thick and full as if they are anchored in a fertile pot.
Be careful about useing landscape fabric in you pond as it will contain anti fungal agents which may hurt the fish.
For the pf I use mirical grow plant food sticks with a high first number (nitrogen)
eg. 15-5-5 because nitrogen is what any plant needs to make green leaves and thats all pf is, is green. High nitrogen levels in the water is harmful to fish so that is why I like to keep it contained in a solid pot filled with clay.

nejme

I dig clay soil out of our former garden. There's a nice pit there! I use pond plant pots without any holes to keep the dirt in. I fertilize with PondTabbs which I buy from AquaMart. I've found parrot feather tends to not stay in a pot as it grows in long pieces, jumps pots, and also breaks easily. I've started some in a pot but it doesn't stay put. Mine grows fine loose but when I get some, I anchor a sprig here and there in my various other pots. Parrot feater is pretty versatile.

There is also a fabric made just for pond plants. They come in 7" & 12" square, box looking, shapes.

I tried using one by itself for my big lilly plant ... but ended up placing the entire getup into a plastic container with holes. I didn't want a big mess underwater when the lilly roots eventually pierced through the soft sides ... might not be a problem with less agressive roots.

I use clay around the rootball, with pond planting media around the clay, then the fabric container, all put inside the holed plastic container. Topped off with 1"-2" river rocks.

The pond planting media looks very much like aquarium gravel, without the shine.
The clay, dug from my yard, seems to hold in the fertilizer tabs better than the plant media.

The plastic container I used is ~15 gallon variety. Sort of big ... and pretty heavy.

Had to stand in the pond to put it where I wanted it. When I was in the pond I expected the fish to be huddled & scared in the corner. I put on a snorkel mask to see what I was doing ... the fish were swimming around my feet and between my legs! :lol: I laughed so hard underwater that I thought I was going to drown ... I suppose I should have used the snorkel as well!! ;)

Sometimes in the summer, when I'm in my bathing suit, the fish will come and suck on my legs. They seem to want to be even petted sometimes. I've had one of my two big koi bump into me before, and that's a little scary because they're big fish!

Robyn, I can't pass this one up; I just can't do it....... :ph43r:

Robyn wrote:

What does the bathing suit have to do with it? ROFLMAO :P :P





(I really wanted to know what the fish do when you're not in your bathing suit)

now Jb, be nice :P :P :P

WW, my wife has the same challenge. That's why I asked about the bathing suit. When ever DW dawns her suit, and climbs into the pond to help me, she always says "they're sucking my toes", or "they're sucking my legs" ......

I'm beginning to think it's the swiming suit! Next time I'm going to tell her Robyn has the same problem; try taking the suit off. :o :P :lol:

Johnny, I meant when I'm in my bathing suit versus the hip waders which I wear every other time I get into the pond. Obviously, if the fish nibbled at the hip waders, I wouldn't feel it. That's all I meant. Since my pond is only two feet deep, when I'm in my bathing suit, basically all my parts below water are my naked legs and arms when I stick them in so, as far as the fish are concerned, I'm all naked. The bathing suit has nothing to do with it.

PG you are talking about those fabric planters right?

I can't wait for spring :) Waiting, waiting, waiting.

I looked in the pond and I still have algae growing!! I did see the fish on the bottom coming out of the fish condo so that was cool!

I am sure I can find some clay soil around my place. In the summer when the soil dries out a little it gets hard as a rock. You have to dig with a pic ax first then use the spade after you have the first 8 inches broken up b/c of all the clay that we have. When we plant our x-mas trees and nursery stock we have to make sure that the roots go straight down mostly b/c of the clay. Last summer I used our backhoe to plant my climbing rose bush. I was too lazy to dig with the spade!
I will be ordering from f/s a little later today so I will put some of those planters without the holes on my list!

Robyn, Sweetie; I was trying to be funny. They suck my legs too, and I wear shorts. ;)

Don't say it Wayne . Don"t say it.


AWWW What the heck!!

What happens when you don't wear shorts :lol: :lol:


Oh I am sooo weak

TLC,
Yep, the fabric planters ... have you seen them? I looked for them on the Aquamart link you had for the plastic ones, but didn't see the fabric planters there. didn't look too long My DW brought them home one day last spring for me to try out. Couldn't find the brand name, and did not want to attempt to get her to remember where she found them. Those fabric planters seem to intended for shallow bog-type areas ... or waterfall and stream places.
My water-lillies did pretty good this last season ... I was just trying something different with the fabric. In the past I normally just used the planters without any holes, pack with clay soil, and top with river rocks. I soak the clay in a separate bucket for a few days in advance to evacuate air, plus it gives any organics a chance to float up and be skimmed.
I'll shut up about the lillies ... since this topic is mostly for Parrot Feather ... and now leg sucking ... and in-pond attire :lol:
or lack of it

Okay Wayne, you asked

Here goes........
I show up in Tia's dreams! :wub:

I will never learn.