Plants for Ponds that won’t get eaten!

[Elmcnam]

My ducks are living in my garden area, and I built them a tiny pond there. Other than loving my ducks and the house my husband built for them, it’s a bit disastrous. The pond has never looked tranquil or inviting. The ducks definitely want to eat anything in it. They ate the Lilly’s to the mint. I thought most animals don’t like strong herbs, but these gals and guys do. I can now see the pond liner, the water is brown with poo and dirt, and there are zero plants to oxygenate the water. I’m thinking of maybe building a duck ponics system eventually. They ate all my potato heads of my plants too, and raised water beds would at least keep them out of plants near them. They actually leave most of my garden alone, just destroying anything near the pond. I also fenced off greens, knowing, that would entice them. Are there plants for ponds that aren’t toxic, and that they won’t eat? I’m going to have to wait a bit to build my duck ponics system, since I’ve already blown allot of money and everything is so expensive, but I’d like their pond to look a little better.

 

[ruthhope]

I don't know an answer to your question and there may not be anything that you can plant in and round a pond that your ducks wont eat.

Many duck keepers that make ponds for their feathered friends also have filtration systems to keep the water clean. A church nearby me that has resident and migratory water fowl has quite a sizeable pond. But they installed fountains to oxygenate the water and their pond is stocked with fish and snails.

My thinking is that you will have to have a filtration system if you keep your pond

 

[telandra2]

I've been pondering what plants to put in my pond as well. Any other year I would raid a nearby lake, but with Bird Flu in the county that is out. My hyacinth and water lettuce experiment were expensive snacks. Creeping Jenny and grass around the edges has survived -- as long as they didn't dig it up and dunk it. The lithadora is untouched and will hopefully mask the edge next year, but its terrestrial.

 

[Regina Larsen]

My ducks are living in my garden area, and I built them a tiny pond there. Other than loving my ducks and the house my husband built for them, it’s a bit disastrous. The pond has never looked tranquil or inviting. The ducks definitely want to eat anything in it. They ate the Lilly’s to the mint. I thought most animals don’t like strong herbs, but these gals and guys do. I can now see the pond liner, the water is brown with poo and dirt, and there are zero plants to oxygenate the water. I’m thinking of maybe building a duck ponics system eventually. They ate all my potato heads of my plants too, and raised water beds would at least keep them out of plants near them. They actually leave most of my garden alone, just destroying anything near the pond. I also fenced off greens, knowing, that would entice them. Are there plants for ponds that aren’t toxic, and that they won’t eat? I’m going to have to wait a bit to build my duck ponics system, since I’ve already blown allot of money and everything is so expensive, but I’d like their pond to look a little better.

Im (finally) building a very deep formal pond for my ducks this summer. They have a deep 'puddle' in a low spot right now, and i note that native plantain seems to be doing very well at the waters edge and in the mud. Its very tough and fibrous and not very appetizing, even less so as it gets bigger. If i offer the leaves to the ducks they aren't big fans. They haven't eaten any of it on their own.
Im building very deep (probably 6', with a very sharp incline so waste is deep down to decompose and the water column will stay nicer) and i may use plantain in planters on the ledges.
You can find plaintain any old place, its a tough but useful weed.
Im going to pop some mature pampas grass in too.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_rugelii