Aquatic Compost alternatives?

So I've managed to order my plants (yippee!!) and so now waiting for them to arrive. In the meantime, I've been thinking about what to plant them in. Aquatic compost seems ridiculously expensive for something that has just had its nutrients removed, but I want the plants to survive so want to make sure I'm doing the right thing by them.

Would topsoil work, with the top of the baskets covered with grit?

 

Hi,

To be honest we just use grit, ( no lime type) its really just to hold them down in the basket, the roots get all they need from the water /fish poo /debris or if no fish you can use an aquatic plant ferilizer.

Garden top soil is likey to contain too much of the wrong type of nutrients and more likely to cause algae blooms.

 

I just use garden soil, the plants very quickly use up any nutrient in the mud, lets face it, they grow much bigger than they ever would in a pot of the same size.
I think aquatic compost is pretty much a rip off.

 

Garden soil is fine. It’s what I use, just place pebbles on top to hold it down.

What did you order?

 

Water mint, water forget me not, small lily, flag iris, flowering rush and oxygenating ranunculus. I'm so excited, hopefully get it planted up over the weekend and can post some pics.

I also want to get some angels fishing rods to plant in the border next to the pond

:spring: