How to Make Aquatic Plant Soil for Ponds

Having the right soil is crucial for growing vibrant healthy aquatic plants in ponds and water features. Ordinary garden soil or potting mix will simply float away or turn to mush underwater. Aquatic plants need a soil that will stay put retain moisture, and provide nutrients. With the right ingredients, it’s easy to make custom aquatic plant soil that will help your water plants thrive.

Why Homemade Soil is Best

While you can purchase pre-made aquatic planting media homemade soil has some major advantages

Cost savings – Mixing up your own is much cheaper than buying commercial products.
Customization – You can tweak homemade soil to suit your specific plants.

Know what’s in it – Avoid unknown or undesirable ingredients.
pH control – Tailor the pH to what your plants need.
Adjust fertility – Make it more or less fertile as needed.

With a simple recipe and basic ingredients, you can create excellent aquatic soil customized for your pond.

Key Properties of Aquatic Planting Media

To grow plants successfully underwater, soil must have these key qualities:

Stays put – Won’t float up or disintegrate when submerged.
Moisture retention – Holds water well for plant roots.

Nutrient reserves – Provides necessary fertilizers to feed plants.
Anchorage – Lets plants root firmly and stand upright.
Oxygenation – Allows oxygen to reach roots.

The recipe below combines ingredients to create soil with all these crucial properties.

Ingredients for Aquatic Plant Soil

You likely have the necessary components for great underwater soil in your yard or at the store. Here’s what you need:

Clay – Provides weight to prevent floating, retains moisture and nutrients. Clay kitty litter works perfectly.
Topsoil or compost – Supplies organic matter to hold moisture. Avoid peat-based mixes.

Sand or gravel – Creates drainage and aeration for oxygenation. Pool filter sand is ideal.
Fertilizer – Time-release pellets give a steady nutrient supply. Osmocote is a good choice.
pH adjuster – Lime raises pH, Sulfur lowers it. Test soil and adjust as needed.

Optional: Laterite clay -Adds iron and absorbs nutrients. Can be bought at aquarium stores.

Step-by-Step instructions

Follow these simple steps to whip up custom aquatic soil for your pond plants:

Choose container – A 5 gallon bucket allows mixing room. A bin keeps mixed soil handy.
Blend base – Mix equal parts clay and soil/compost. Kitty litter and quality topsoil are a great base.

Check pH – Test pH of base with a meter or soil test kit. Adjust if needed.
Add fertilizer – Mix in time-release fertilizer per label rates. Granular Osmocote works wonderfully.
Include sand/gravel – Blend in sand or gravel, starting with 1 part to 3 parts base mix.

Add laterite (optional) – Mix in up to 1 part laterite clay to provide iron and absorb nutrients.
Adjust as needed – Tweak ratios to achieve the ideal moist, cohesive consistency that holds its shape when squeezed.
Fill containers – Scoop soil into bottom of pots, then cap with gravel.

Customizing Your Aquatic Soil

The basic recipe above can be adapted for specific plants or conditions:

More clay for heavy feeders like water lilies.

Extra gravel for lotus and plants needing better drainage.
Less fertility for sensitive plants or small ponds prone to algae.
More organic matter for acidic-loving bog plants.

Calcium carbonate raises pH for plants preferring alkaline conditions.
Extra iron for lilies and lotus with yellowing leaves.

Experiment to create the perfect soil for your aquatic plants! They will reward you with vigorous growth and abundant blooms.

Potting Aquatic Plants in Homemade Soil

Once your custom soil is mixed, use it to pot up your pond plants:

Choose containers with drainage holes to allow oxygen to roots.
Fill pots 2/3 with soil mix, pack down gently.
Place fertilizer tablets next to plant if needed.

Position plants in pots and fill with soil to base of plant.
Top with a 1-2 inch layer of gravel to hold soil in place.

Then submerge pots in the pond and watch your plants thrive in their new custom underwater soil!

Troubleshooting Homemade Aquatic Plant Soil

My soil…

Floats up – Add more clay and gravel for weight.
Breaks apart – Increase clay/compost ratio for cohesion.
Grows algae – Cut back on fertility sources like compost and fertilizer.

Smells bad – Eliminate manure/peat components which can turn anaerobic.
Looks barren – Mix in more organic matter to improve appearance.
Doesn’t anchor plants – Add clay and pack soil tightly in pots.

With the right homemade blend, you can create the perfect fertile, moisture-retentive soil to help your pond plants flourish beautifully!

Planting Instructions for Aquatic Plants

Not only do we have the largest selection of pond plants anywhere, but we also want to help you grow the best water garden plants in your pond or water feature. Listed below are some tips and advice as to how to plant your pond plants. There are a list of DOs and DONTS as well.

Please let us know when your pond plants arrive if any of them are stressed out or damaged. We will try to rectify it at once.

DO NOT fertilize your lotus until its leaves start to grow above the water (see Lotus Planting Guide). If you fertilize it before that, it will die.
DO follow the planting instructions. We have grown pond plants for many years and will show you how to plant them correctly for the best results.
When our salespeople tell you that the water or weather is too cold for tropical plants, DO listen to them. In the wild, tropical plants grow in water that is warm and temperatures that are 70 degrees or higher. We grow our tropical plants in warm places. If you buy them too early and put them in cold water, the plant will die. To experience an algae bloom in early spring is natural. We don’t suggest putting tropical hyacinths and tropical water lettuce in cold water to get rid of algae. Instead, you should add hornwort (which oxygenates the water) or snails to help the plants take in nutrients until the waterlilies and other plants wake up in the spring and start to grow again.

Don’t forget to feed your waterlilies, both annual and perennial, because they need a lot of food to grow and bloom.
DO NOT feed your fish too much! This is the main reason why water quality and algae blooms happen. In the wild, fish eat algae and mosquito larvae that grow on their own. When you feed them too much, their waste adds too many nutrients (nitrogen) to the water, which throws the balance off and often leads to an algae bloom or some other mess.
DO follow moisture and sunlight requirements for your plants. Wet plants can’t do well in dry conditions, and flowering plants can’t bloom without the right amount of sunlight.

DO follow recipe for heavy loam soil. Most of the plants in your pond can grow in heavy loam soil.

Here are the steps for planting your pond plants. If you have any questions, watch our videos on “How to Plant Your Waterlily,” “How to Plant Your Lotus,” and “How to Plant Your Pond Plants.” If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to seek assistance by emailing us! PondQuestions@gmail. com.

Tropical/Annual Waterlilies

Annual waterlilies need temperatures that stay at least 70 degrees all year. In colder areas, tubers must be taken out of the pond before winter to make sure they survive.

Start off by purchasing a large, wide container for your waterlily. A two-three gallon container is fine. If you use a larger pot, your waterlily will grow larger.

2/3 Loam Topsoil ($2-3)) at your local Lowes or Home Depot

1/3 Pool Filter Sand

Topsoil can be purchased in your local hardware store and should not contain any compost or additional material. Moisten the topsoil before mixing with Pool Filter Sand. Pool Filter Sand can be purchased wherever they sell pool supplies. Pool Filter Sand has larger granules than regular sand and is pre-rinsed!.

Because you mixed heavy loam soil, it should clump together when you wet it and squeeze it. When you grab it, it should form a ball.

Once you have your heavy loam soil ready, put Landon Granular Fertilizer and 3/4 of the soil you just made in the bottom of your waterlily pot. We recommend 1/2 the recommended dose for newly potted waterlilies, to be mixed into the soil. Press down on the soil to get rid of any air in it. Do this again when you fill the pot up to about 4 inches from the top.

Don’t mix Landon fertilizer into the top layer of soil that you’ll be putting on top of the planter. Put two inches of heavy loam soil on top of the pot. Make sure there is no fertilizer in the soil. Landon Fertilizer is hot and may burn new plants. Leave 2″ at the top of the planting container.

Some DOS and DONTS regarding aquatic soil:

DO mix 1/3 loam topsoil with 1/3 pool filter sand, adding water as you go. The mixture should form a ball in your hand when you grab it!.

DO NOT use 100% calcined clay as it has no nutritional value.

DO NOT use Potting Soil as it has organic material that will rot and foul your water. It is also very light and will float right out of the pot!.

DO NOT put rocks or pebbles on top of your plant pot. They will stop the plant from growing and may even kill it. In nature, plants do not grow in rocks and stones.

If you want to grow waterlilies, lotus, or most other aquatic plants, DO NOT buy API Aquatic Planting Media or Microbe-lift Aquatic Planting Media. These products are for submerged grasses ONLY!.

Bog Plants (Wetland Plants) prefer poor, acidic soil.

You should never put rocks or pebbles on top of your container. If you want to, you can use pool filter sand.

Take off any old, damaged, or dead leaves or flowers from the waterlily tuber. Place the tuber in the soil, spreading the roots out, and stand it upright in the pot so that the crown of the plant is exposed and the soil is even with the top of the plant. Adding two to four Waterlily World Pond Tabs to the top of the soil will help feed your plant until its roots reach the Landon fertilizer that is deeper in the soil at the bottom of the container.

At this point, your waterlily is almost ready to be gently submerged into the pond. Depending on the variety of waterlily you have purchased, deeper depths are for more mature plants. Place your waterlily in more shallow water until it is established. Once your waterlily is established, you can place it at the maximum depth for your waterlily specimen. (The pads on your waterlily have air in them. When you plant them for the first time, they often float right out of the pot because the air in the pads acts like a hot air balloon and lifts the plant to the surface. If this happens, just cut off one or two leaves and replant your waterlily before putting it back in the water.

Make sure you have placed your waterlilies where they will receive at least 5+ hours of sunlight. Waterlilies will not bloom if not given enough sunlight.

The Landon Granular Fertilizer should feed your plants for about 60-80 days. Add a couple of fertilizer tabs to the top of the soil by gently pressing them in. Do not press them into the plant’s roots. If you see that your plant is turning yellow or not doing well, You can feed your plants with Waterlily World Pond Tabs every three or four weeks as needed.

To give your waterlily Landon Granular Fertilizer, just take a 10″ x 10″ piece of newspaper and fold it into an envelope shape. Then, put one or two tablespoons of Landon Fertilizer in the middle of the paper and fold it into an envelope shape. Carefully slide the envelope down the side of the container of your waterlily.

Waterlilies are very heavy feeders. We recommend and sell Landon Granular Fertilizer and Waterlily World Pond Tabs + Humates. These items help your plants get off to a healthy start and keep their strong growth and blooming!

Hardy/Perennial Waterlilies

To plant your hardy waterlily, follow the same recipe for HEAVY LOAM SOIL in the tropical waterlily instructions.

After you have mixed the soil in the right proportions you may add it to your planting container.

Use a 2-3 gallon container, it should be at least 16-18″ wide. Fill the container 2/3 full with heavy loam soil. Add Landon Granular Fertilizer to the soil mix in your container, being careful to mix it in thoroughly. We recommend half the recommended dosage for new waterlilies.

Take your waterlily tuber and remove any dead, damaged or spent leaves from the tuber. Be careful not to put the tuber in the middle of the pot. Instead, put it on the inside next to the side. Once the roots are spread out, use your heavy loam soil mix to fill the pot the rest of the way, but don’t add any Landon’s fertilizer. Do not cover the crown of the plant, leave it exposed. Leave about 2″ at the top of the pot. Gently press down on the soil to remove any air that is trapped in the soil. At this time you may gently press 2 or 4 Waterlily Pond Tabs + Humates into the soil. These “pond tabs” will feed your plant until its roots are big enough to reach the Landon fertilizer that is deeper in the pot.

Gently place your waterlily in the pond at a shallow depth, deeper depths are for mature plants. Your waterlily should receive at least 5+ hours of sunlight. If your waterlily should float out of the pot, simply cut off a leaf or two and replant. The water lily’s lilypads hold air, and when you submerge it, the leaves may pull the plant to the surface.

The Landon Granular Fertilizer should feed your plant for 60-80 days. If your plant needs more fertilizer, just add more fertilizer tabs on top of the soil in the pot. You can also add Landon granular fertilizer by cutting a 10×10 piece of newspaper in half, putting a tablespoon or two of Landon’s fertilizer in the middle, and folding the paper into an envelope. Gently slide the envelop down the side of the pot of your waterlily. You can insert 2 or 3 envelopes with Landon Granular Fertilizer. Just follow dosing directions. The newspaper will break down, and as the roots of your waterlily run around the pot, the fertilizer will reach them.

Waterlilies need a lot of food! We sell and recommend Landons Granular Fertilizer and Waterlily World Pond Tabs Humates to help plants get off to a healthy start so they grow and bloom strongly.

Marginal plants that are placed inside the pond should be planted the following way. So that the roots can get oxygen, plant in fabric planting bags or pots with holes in them. Always use heavy loam soil and fertilize with Waterlily World Pond Tabbs when necessary. You can put plants in pots or fabric planting bags and put them in your pond with an inch or two of water above the pot. You can plant plants like Papyrus, Dwarf Umbrella Palm, Hibiscus, Canna, Iris, Sedge or grasses, and almost any other marginal plant, like Water Celery, Yerba Mansa, or Lemon Drops. Fertilize when necessary with Waterlily World Pond Tabbs + Humates to keep your plants looking their best!.

Marginal plants planted outside the pond should be planted in this manner. These are your bog plants that do well in moist soil rather than shallow water. Keep soil moist and fertilize when necessary with slow release fertilizer mixed into the soil.

Iris may be planted inside or outside of the pond, depending on the variety.

You should use planting baskets or fabric planting bags when you plant in the pond so that the roots of your plants can get oxygen. As a bonus, this helps your plants grow bigger and healthier, and it also gets rid of algae in your pond.

When planting iris outside the pond, choose a moist, bog area to plant your iris. Dig holes twice as large as the rhizome and add compost to the hole. Plant with tips pointing up and roots facing down. Tips of rhizomes should be level or slightly above the top of the soil. Water once planted and water during dry periods. Divide as necessary every few years.

Oxygenators like Hornwort, Anacharis, Red Ludwigia, Cabomba, and Lemon Bacopa can be tucked into the material at the bottom of the pond. They can be planted in small pots with sand or clay planting mix, or small weights can be used to keep them from floating into the skimmer.

To add oxygen to your pond, you can plant Lemon Bacopa and Red Ludwegia in small pots and set them on shelves. These plants will grow both above and below the water.

Like the Mosaic Plant, Water Poppies, Water Snowflakes, Frogbit, and other plants that float, they look like they are floating on water by magic. The roots of these plants should be put in small pots with heavy loam soil and then put on the pond’s edges. Fertilize with pond tabs as necessary.

True floating plants require NO planting, simply place on the surface of the water with roots facing down!

The following are considered True Floating Plants:

Fabric Aquatic Planting Bags are a great choice because they can be folded down to the right height, come in different sizes, and most importantly, they let plants get oxygen at their roots! This helps keep your pond clear of algae, and plants will grow bigger and healthier in containers that let oxygen get to the roots. These bags are also convenient, easy to use, and ship easily.

Landon Granular Fertilizer and Waterlily World Pond Tabs + Humates are the best fertilizers for aquatic plants. That is why we recommend and sell them. Landon Granular Fertilizer was developed by Mr. Ken Landon, Hybridizer and Director of the International Waterlily Collection in San Angelo, Texas. Landon Fertilizer has proven itself among the thousands of waterlilies that he has used.

Setup a Fish Aquarium Using Dirt Potting Soil

FAQ

What soil do you use for aquatic plants?

SOIL: All aquatic plants should be planted in a rich clay based topsoil. Try to avoid soil with a lot of compost or peat, as the lighter materials tend to float. Most commercially bagged and sterilized soil is not suitable for aquatic plants, because they contain these materials.

What can I use instead of aquatic soil?

Garden soil can be used if it is free from fertiliser and herbicides. Otherwise, a proprietary aquatic compost should be used (this may contain a slow-release fertiliser that won’t seep out into the water).

How do aquarium plants grow?

Aquarium plants are generally kept in soil. The soil consists of both sand and organic matter. It is also kept damp at all times to encourage growth. The problem with aquarium soils is that they get dirty fairly quickly due to algae build-up. This build-up eventually leads to poor plant growth if not maintained.

How do you make aquatic soil?

When making your aquatics soil it is important that you use only fresh, filtered, or distilled water. Never use tap water as this is a known toxin that can kill plants. Use a reverse osmosis system if possible. You will also need to make sure that the soil is well mixed to ensure that all the nutrients are distributed evenly throughout.

What makes a good soil for aquatic plants?

Organic matter provides nutrients for plant growth, acting as a natural fertilizer. Clay helps retain moisture in the soil, creating a conducive environment for aquatic plants. Gravel or sand aids in drainage, preventing waterlogged soil. When making aquatic plant soil, it’s important to find the right balance of these ingredients.

What is aquatic plant soil?

Aquatic plant soil is designed to provide a stable base for aquatic plants and promote their growth. It contains essential nutrients that help nourish the plants and support their root development. Additionally, the soil’s texture allows for proper water circulation and prevents the soil from becoming compacted.