Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Pond vegetation

Mike,

I also have a new pond with no vegetation other than algae. Next summer will be the pond's second year. I am following the second approach Liquidsquid suggests; establish desirable plants before the undesirables show up. Bill Cody was nice enough to help me work up a strategy of what plants to plant for a Northern Illinois pond and I will be executing the plan as soon as the water warms in the spring. My thought is to get the good guys in place and established before the bad guys move in and cause a problem.

Edit Bill D.

Just realized I should have posted what we came up with for me.

We came up with Lizard Tail, Arrowhead and additional beneficial pond plants were all the Sagittaria species, the blue flag (Iris), and water plantain. Additional ones would be the shorter growing Spike Rush. There is an underwater growing Sagittaria called Dwarf Sagittaria that is a very good submerged plant. Some of the info came from an Illinois DNR report that rated plants on how good they are as habitat vs invasiveness, and a lot came from Bill. Your DNR might have a similar report for your area.

Bill D.