How to Plant a Corkscrew Vallisneria

Test the pH of the water with a water balance test kit, available from most pond and aquarium suppliers. Vallisneria grows best in water that has a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0.

Choose a planting location that gets either full sun or partial shade. Vallisneria is completely aquatic, so the spot you pick should be deep enough to allow your new plant to be completely submerged.

Dig a small hole in the bottom of your pond or the substrate in your barrel, fountain or other water feature. The hole must be deep enough that the plant’s roots will be completely covered and wide enough not to crush the roots. For potted Vallisneria, fill a pot with sandy soil and make a hole large enough for your plant in the center of the pot.

Place the plant into the hole and carefully fill in around the roots. Keep the crown of the plant, where the roots join the leaves, above the substrate. If the crown gets buried, the plant will die.

Fertilize corkscrew Vallisneria if you’re planting it in a relatively sterile environment, such as a pond without fish. Use aquatic fertilizer containing trace elements to boost growth, applying according to manufacturer instructions. If your water feature has fish in it, you don’t need to add anything.