Rescue Frogbit - Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in early Autumn:
Frogbit is starting to break down now:
- The dormant buds will drop off the leaves.
- Buds fall to the base of the pond or container pond.
- These buds are 5x10mm or 1/8" x 1/4" and remind me of apple pips.
- The buds will remain at the base of the pond or container pond throughout Winter to avoid frost and ice.
- They will regrow and rise to water surface next Summer.
Frogbit in Autumn maintenance:
- Remove some Frogbit plantlets now while you can still see them.
- Put them in a bucket for safety until after you have finished your Autumn maintenance.
- You can easily lose the buds during the Autumn maintenance programme.
- Dredging away part of the silt from the base of the pond with a net takes them away buried in the mud.
- Reintroduce the buds to the pond after maintenance is over.
Keep the back up supply safe:
- In the Nursery we put a large sign in the bucket or we find someone helpful tidies it up!
- The bucket of water standing in the corner gets thrown out! Along with the tiny dormant buds!
