The combination of vermiculite and submerged macrophytes is gradually applied in lake restoration. However, the combined effects on the sediment microenvironment remain unclear. This study conducted indoor ecological experiments using vermiculite doses (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %) and types of submerged macrophytes (Vallisneria natans, Hydrilla verticillata, and Potamogeton lucens) as control variables. The study explored the variation in sediment enzyme activity under different combinations of vermiculite and submerged macrophytes, quantifying the driving forces of sediment properties affecting enzyme activity changes. The results showed that the individual and combined effects of vermiculite and submerged macrophytes influenced the variations in sediment enzyme activity. Notably, a 20 % dose of vermiculite combined with Potamogeton lucens significantly improved water environmental conditions, effectively reducing nutrient levels in the overlying water and sediment, while enhancing sediment enzyme activity. The P- acquiring enzyme increased by 0.81 times, while the C- acquiring enzyme improved by an average of 0.83 times. The most significant enhancement in N- acquiring enzyme, with an average increase of 4.93 times. This indicates that a 20 % dose of vermiculite directly enhanced the properties of sediments, promoted plant growth, and accelerated the secretion of microbial enzymes in plant roots. Sediment properties, such as pH, NO3-N, and SOC, are the main factors driving changes in enzyme activity, with average contributions to enzyme activity changes of 54.83 %, 45.59 %, and 47.82 %, respectively. Our study fills in the process of changing microecological conditions in lakes under the combined action of sediment amendment techniques and plants. We recommend using small doses of vermiculite in conjunction with Potamogeton lucens, as it can effectively promote nutrient cycling within lake sediments, offering an environmentally friendly method for managing lake eutrophication.