Growing Conditions for Plants in Water

• Taking advantage of the best growing conditions when planting and maintaining aquatic plants requires using the right type of soil and containers. You need to know when to add plants to the water and how deep they need to be planted in order to flourish and grow. As you choose the types of plants you want to grow in your pond, include floating and submerged plants to help maintain the health of the water.

Time

• Spring is the best time to add new plants to the water, according to Texas A & M University. Buy potted plants right before you're ready to add them to the water. If you buy plants ensconced in plastic wrap, remove the plants from the plastic, and then plant them in new containers before placing them in the water.

Containers

• Larger containers produce larger plants and smaller containers help keep plants small. According to the University of Illinois, containers about 15 inches in diameter and 10 inches deep work well for hardy water lilies. Tropical water lilies grow best in containers that are 20 inches in diameter and 10 inches deep. Other plants grow in containers that range in size from 6 to 20 inches wide.

Floating Plants

• Before placing floating plants that require no container in your pond, wash the plants first. A good rinse keeps debris, soil and other matter that may hurt the pond's other plants or organisms out of the water.

Submerged Plants

• Submerged plants provide oxygen to the pond, critical to keeping your pond healthy and capable of supporting fish. Gardeners must not use invasive plants that can take over the pond. Use submerged plants at a rate of one bunch per 2 square feet of water surface area. Plant submerged plants in groups of 6 to 12 per container. Since the roots of the plants are not used for nutrients or water uptake, plant them in pots of gravel.

Water Depth

• Tropical, hardy lilies should be covered with 6 to 18 inches of water. Water lotus needs to be placed about 4 inches below the surface of the water. Bog plants work best on the edges of the water with the crowns of the plants covered by 1 inch of water.

Soil

• Some plants, including water lilies and lotus, grow best when placed in heavy, clay, loam soils. Avoid commercial potting mixes since the soil is too lightweight to hold the nutrients the plant needs to thrive. Keep the soil damp when planting, filling the container about 2/3 full of soil. Once planted, add ½ inch of pea gravel to help prevent the soil from clouding the water.