To give your pond plants, such as Water Lillies and Butomus, the best start and promote beautiful healthy growth, pond soil is essential. You can find a range of top-quality soil from Velda here at Swell UK.
Pond soil is a great choice for aquatic plants as it holds nutrients well and provides a strong base for anchoring plants. A good pond soil contains the right amount of minerals and more to deliver the best nutrients to your plants. Pond soil differs to normal soil as it does not disintegrate easily whilst still allowing the water to circulate around the roots.
Aquatic soil is not just any compost. It has lower nutrient values than standard garden compost (which would fuel nuisance algae growth if used,) and is pH neutral, whereas many standard garden composts also contain lime, which could raise water pH to dangerous levels.
For floating plants, Velda Plant Soil guards against root rot and keeps plants in good condition. The porous substrates allow the water to move around the roots whilst still delivering nutrients straight to the roots of the plant. For plants that are submerged, try the Velda SuperDensa. These types of plants add to the oxygen levels of the water and need a good, vibrant substrate. SuperDensa anchors the plants to the pond floor too, so it maintains good condition.
For potting pond plants always choose spacious plant baskets. In case of coarse-threaded baskets use a hessian liner to prevent the substrate from washing away. To prevent the water from becoming turbid it is advisable to cover the plant soil with fine-grained substrate or washed gravel.