On a trip to a local garden nursery I noticed pond plants set aside for sale. I was surprised to see Creeping Jenny, a groundcover I grow, being sold as a pond plant. This is a great little plant. My initial purchase of one pot for about $3.99 a few years ago has spread by itself, and by my design, into several areas in my yard. I was immediately inspired to try and adapt a few sprigs of my Creeping Jenny into a pond-worthy plant.

First, I tried planting several stems in a pot with sand and rocks. No success! The fish promptly tugged the Creeping Jenny out of its moorings. I realized I needed a way to contain the roots that would be fish proof. I decided to try growing the Jenny hydroponically, not using any soil at all. The new dilemma in my pond project was how to contain the roots. I knew that if I put the Jenny in the water the fish would nibble away at the roots and the strands would separate into a scraggly mess.

I looked around the house for inspiration and my eyes alighted on a Tic Tac container. Hmmm—if I cut the bottom of the container off would it hold the roots but still allow water to circulate and bring nutrients to the plant? Yes, it was worth a try. I cut away the bottom and also removed the white dispenser from the other end. (scissors and/or a box cutter will work)

The next step was to wash all dirt and debris off the roots of the Creeping Jenny and twist a rubber band around them as tightly as I was able. When this was done I squeezed the sides of theTic Tac container and the top opened up into a circular shape. After I placed the roots into the container, I let go of the sides, and the Tic Tac box snapped back into shape holding the banded roots tightly within the confines of the plastic, but still enabling water to flow in and out.

I placed all of this in the pond. It worked, the Creeping Jenny floated nicely, but the bottom of the Tic Tac box was visible and allowed the plant to float on its side rather than root downwards.

To solve this problem I found the discarded dispenser top and placed a rock in the side without the hole. I pulled away the closure tab leaving an open hole for water circulation, I put this on the bottom of the Tic Tac container and placed it in the water once again.

Success! The plant has been in my pond for two weeks and is thriving. I’ve been saving my Tic Tac containers to use in adapting a few more water-viable plants for my pond. Updates will follow.

Plants that are poisonous to Pond Fish & Amphibians
Houseplants that do well in aquariums and ponds