This tall, stately plant with its distinctive brown seed head is a staple of wetland ecosystems. Although it thrives in marshy situations, it can be grown quite easily in containers. If you do not have the space for a natural pond or wetland area, consider using cattails with container growing methods. This is going to be a step-by-step guide for you to get started with growing cattails in pots whereby you cannot fail, and these beautiful plants will certainly add that small, wild touch to your garden or patio.

Which Variety of Cattail Should You Grow?

Before you start with the details on how to care for your potted cattail, you must first choose the right cultivar. While there are a lot of species of cattails, the top choices usually considered for container culture include the Common Cattail and the Narrowleaf Cattail. Both these species are equally good growing potted and both provide fairly equivalent aesthetic and ecological benefits.

1. Select the Right Pot

Start by selecting a suitable pot for potting your cattail. Below what you might see as their basal end, cattails develop a great deal of an underground part of their root system. Generally look for a pot that will have dimensions — at the least — of about 18 inches in diameter and at least 24 inches deep. This allows sufficient elbow room for the roots to spread and provides enough support for your plant to reach towering heights.

They should also be provided with enough drainage to remove the possibility of water stagnation. Being a wetland plant, cattails will only do well so far as their roots are in a continuously moistened environment; placing the pot provided on a saucer or tray retaining water will facilitate proper moistening of their roots.

Cattails do best in fertile soils rich with humus that are much like their native environments. Making a good growing media would be accumulating garden soil, compost, and peat moss in equal qualities in one pot. Put some gravel or small stones in the bottom to give drainage, but the container should be able to hold some moisture.

Fill the container with this potting mix. This will make a good base to raise cattails. Moist the soil before adding cattail rhizomes or small starter plants.

2. Growing Cattails

Cattails grown from rhizomes or small nursery plants might want to be somewhat buried in the tub mix, about 2-3″ deep. If planting a few, they may need to be very well dispersed. For young plants, dig a hole in the soil and set the plant so it sits level in the hole; gently pack the soil around the roots.

Plant the container well into thoroughly watered soil in order to settle it around the roots. Plant the container in a location where it will be in full sun as cattails are plants which require bright light.
Provision of water is a highly critical process in cattail care. Water should be maintained at the proper moisture content through the addition of water whenever necessary during the growing season, as these plants grow in very moist grounds just as in nature within wetland areas. A good water level to simulate their environment just above the surface of the soil would be good.

Placing the pot in a shallow tray of water, apart from regular watering, will ensure the soil remains moist. Water level must be checked daily, especially during hot weather, and replenished as needed.

3. Fertilization

Not heavy feeders, although some other fertilization here is beneficial, the cattails simply benefit from a good source of nutrition being applied. A balanced, slow-release type of fertilizer is what is needed, applied once in the early spring and again in the midsummer. Use the manufacturer’s package for the correct application rate, following instructions.

Another is the organics, which would include compost tea and fish emulsion. This is organic material that feeds the soil without the risks of overfertilization that would hurt the plant and add to negative environmental impacts.

4. Pruning and Maintenance

Even with the cattail being low maintenance, a little bit of pruning and care will keep them in good form. Taking out dead or damaged leaves and stalks promotes new growth and makes the plants look nice. Dead leaves and stalks should be taken off the plant, promoting new growth to make plants appear tidy. The best times to prune are late autumn or early spring before new growth starts again.

During the growing season, inspect them often for aphids and spider mites. Normally, cattails are healthy, and there is not much to worry about in terms of pests or diseases. However, the act of frequent observation provides the added advantage that you will be able to notice any irritant early and take steps against it. Treat with a suitable organic insecticide or a strong spray of water to wash them off.

5. Overwintering

Potted cattails should be protected from freezing temperatures if you live in one of the cold winter zones. Otherwise, place the pots under protection, like in a garage or basement, where they will not be in frost conditions. Another good method is to set the pots on the ground and mulch over them.

Water them less in winter to allow the soil to dry out a little between watering. Then resume it in early spring when it starts to warming up again and the new growth begins.

Benefits of Growing Cattails in Pots

There are many other advantages to growing cattails in containers beyond their beauty. Copping up the water in the best way because of culmination of additional nutrients and pollutants in the water, cattails become famous for cleaning water and making it more healthful. This assures a balanced ecosystem and makes them a good choice of improvement in garden or pond with water.

1. Wildlife Attractant:

Moreover, they provide habitat and food for wildlife. The dense foliage and seed heads are quite impressive and offer good habitat to many birds, insects, and small mammals. This increases the biodiversity in your garden. Plus, the tall stalks, with their fluffy seed heads, are a unique addition for use as cut flowers in natural arrangements.

Potential Problems

Even though cattails are rugged and easy to grow, there are a couple of common issues found once in a while:

Yellow leaves mean some deficiency of nutrients present. Apply some balance fertilizer or compost in your soil.

Stunted growth is due to either reduced sunlight or reduced watering. Cattails need full sun and the soil needs to be kept moist.

1. Pests:

Some common garden pests may be aphids and spider mites. They can be treated using organic insecticides or manually removed from the plants.

2. Root Rot:

Overwatering can cause root rot. There should be proper drainage from the container so that water does not get bogged in the soil.

Conclusion

Experience wetland gardening with cattails in container gardening, all the same, when well-selected cultivars are in place, cared for, and maintained properly, they grow equally as well, with not having a pond or wetland naturally belonging to the homestead. With these tips, your potted cattails will do great, giving your garden space a unique, lively feel.