Not all pond plants are allowed to spend the winter outdoors. This includes the water hyacinth. She must be protected from the freezing temperatures.
The water hyacinth is a fairly undemanding aquatic plant and is therefore also suitable for beginners. However, so that you can still enjoy the beautiful flowers in the coming year, you have to pay attention to a few things during the winter.
The water hyacinth is one of the pond plants that must not remain in the pond over the winter. By November at the latest, it has to move to its winter quarters so that it can delight with new flowers the following year.
Get out of the pond
Water hyacinths are tropical plants and only survive temperatures of up to ten degrees Celsius in the garden pond. In sub-zero temperatures, it inevitably dies. As soon as the water temperature falls below 15 degrees, the water hyacinth must be removed from the pond. This is usually the case from mid-October/beginning of November.
Take all the water hyacinths out of the pond. Use a few smaller specimens for overwintering, the rest goes on the compost heap. It is important that no or as few water hyacinths as possible remain in the pond. The plants die off in the event of frost and have an adverse effect on the water quality.
Wintering Conditions
Wet, bright, well ventilated and with a temperature not below 15 degrees, this is what the ideal winter quarters look like. An aquarium is ideal - with or without fish - but other vessels are also suitable. Depending on whether you're bringing one or more plants through the winter, a large bowl, bucket, rain barrel, or tin tub will work just as well.
There are already enough nutrients and good conditions in the aquarium, you can put the water hyacinth in here directly.
Other containers must be prepared as follows:
For other containers, put a layer of loamy, humus-rich garden soil on the bottom to a depth of four inches. Then fill in water, which should have a temperature of around 20°C. Lay the water hyacinths carefully on the ground.The floating plant will find its place by itself.
Lots of light for the water hyacinth
In order for pond plants to survive the winter months, they need a lot of light. Twelve bright hours a day are ideal, but in winter that only works with additional lighting. Artificial light is not suitable, it is better to use an energy-saving lamp with an output of 11 watts or more.
The location should be as evenly warm as possible. If you have a winter garden, the water hyacinth can spend the cold season there. Maybe you have a lot of space available and can set up a large tank in the conservatory, then the plant may even flower. In addition to light and heat, the plants need an aquatic plant fertilizer.
Like this one:
From May, when the night frosts are over, put the water hyacinth back in the pond.