Stapeley Water Gardens

Stapeley Water Gardens
Deep marginal/Oxygenating plants
Questions and answers
What are deep marginal plants?
Deep marginal plants grow in deeper water than marginal plants, They can cope with 30-90cm (12-36") of water over the basket.
Are deep marginals necessary?
If you have already met the minimum requirements for surface cover then maybe not, However, some of the finest plants are in this group.
Which plants are in this group?
This is not a large group of plants, The shallowest one is Orontium Aquaticum (Golden club) This grows with up-to 30cm (12") of water over the basket, when flowering this is a very showy plant with it's long cigarette-like pokers, The large blue-grey leaves are sometimes laying flat on the surface, sometimes upright. Aponogeton is without doubt the most popular from this group as it is the most unusual, It comes up as most other plants are thinking of retiring, It produces leaves and flowers throughout the cooler months with a strong Hawthorn/vanilla scent. This plant can live in water ranging from 30-90 cm (12-36") deep. This group also includes the Nuphar (brandy bottle lily) which is a distant cousin of the Water lily, the leaves are paler and more elongated, it produces a yellow buttercup-like flower on a stalk that smells of brandy. This plant is only suitable for large lakes or moats as it is very vigorous. Nymphoides Peltata is a trailing plant that can grow down very deep if lowered slowly but be warned, this plant is very vigorous, However, It does produce some good cover and has pretty yellow frilly-edged flowers produced in summer.
What are Oxygenating plants and what do they do?
Oxygenating plants generally grow from the bottom of the pool and look like river weed. They provide a vital source of oxygen and food for fish , they absorb huge amounts of nutrients from the water and also provide a hiding place for fish, insects and amphibians. Oxygenating plants provide good shade when they grow thick so will help with algae control.
Will my fish spawn in these plants?
Yes, Fish will spawn in the oxygenating plants, they will be a place of refuge when the babies hatch too.
Do I need to plant Oxygenators?
All varieties except Hornwort (Ceratophyllum Demersum) need to be planted into plant baskets. See our 'Planting the pool' booklet for more detail on planting. The lead bands seen on each bunch are simply to make it easy to bunch them not weight them down on the bottom of the pool.
How many do I need?
Allow 5 bunches per sq. metre of pool surface.
Is one variety any better than another?
No not really, generally speaking, they all work just as well as each other. Some varieties produce a flower, others are active in the winter. When ordering from our mail-order service we will send only mixed varieties to you.
What would happen if I did not have Oxygenators in my pool?
A pool without Oxygenators is highly likely to be green, assuming that you don’t have a functioning filtration system. In post pools the fish would have less places to hide and they would not benefit from this food and oxygen source.
How do I control the growth of these plants?
Oxygenating weeds are very fast growing and will require trimming back on a regular basis, at least once or twice a year take hold of the oxygenating plants and twist or cut off approx. a third of the growth, too many Oxygenating plants can eventually choke the pool and may cause a problem with the oxygen levels at night in the summer.
Do Oxygenators survive the winter?
Yes, Generally speaking except in severe winters, Oxygenators survive right through the winter, Fish will often eat the leaves from them as a vital food source during this cold period, This can sometimes kill the plant off and it will need to be replaced the following spring.