Information on gardening can never be complete without the mention of water garden. You can add individuality to your already decided gardening project by taking up water gardening. Water garden can be grown in both the ways indoor and outdoor. Indoor water garden has less-maintenance hassles compared to the outdoor one.Indoor Pond Culture
No one can imagine to shrinking a pond that too in a pot. But it is really possible and it will give a vibrant colored look to your room. The only care these colorful aqua plants need is fresh water. This small water garden is quite flexible enough to be decked anywhere ranging form indoor to outdoor. Not only it appeals soothing to your eyes but also it offers refuge to birds, butterflies, dragonflies and even small fish. Here are few tips of constructing a pond in a pot.
Selecting pot
There is a wide range of pots beginning from ceramic, plastic, sealed cement, porcelain or metal. You can use your creativity and choose washtubs, crocks etc. If using wooden pots wrap with thick plastic bag though it is advisable not to use it because of bacterial damage. There is no formula about the standard size of pot. According to your artistry you can sow the plants. It can be a single one or more than that to you choice.
List of aqua plants
Floaters
To keep your garden healthy the prevention of algae is must. Water lettuce or water hyacinth is the best option. They grow rapidly so often you need to take them out but don't throw them on the pond.
Oxygenating grasses
They maintain the pH balance of water. They move on the top or sit at the floor of the pot. Examples: anacharis (Egeria densa), fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana), feather grass and blood grass.
Bog plants
The bog plants are kept on top of rocks and the water should only cover the soil of the plant. They grow in shallow water.
Deep-water plants
Plants like water-lilies needs large space like bathtub or whisky barrel. Water lilies specially needs one-foot of water so that the water stays above their roots. Also they need some space to spread. The advantages of this plant are it prevents growth of algae and keeps the water cool.
Gurgling fountains
These fountains can make your aqua-art more enthralling. The process of installation is very easy and the sound of water makes it heavenly.
Tips for healthy growth
- Be careful about the lighting conditions. Lights of the early morning or mild light all over the day are the best ones. Scorching heat of the afternoon can burn and also kill fish.
- Don't overload the pond-pot with many plants. Keep it simple with few plants
- In a pot make an intelligent blend of horizontal and vertical plants. It makes the view more interesting.
- Shelter it form the extreme cold.
- Use fertilizer rarely as it gets the major ones form water and soil where they sit. Be sure that the fertilser is quite friendly to the fish if they are there. The fertilizer comes in tablet form and it can be half-buried in the soil. The quantity is specified in the package.
- Scrub the pot whenever necessary, You can check it out by putting your hand on the bottom and see if any matter is gathered in the bottom. You can also scrub it by brush.
- It is a retreat for birds, fish and mosquitoes. You can float the doughnuts of Bacillus thuringiensis to prevent the multiplication of mosquitoes. One doughnut is prescribed for every 1/100 square foot of water. It is totally harmless for children and wildlife. As a precautionary measure you can keep a bubbler so that the water doesn't stand still.
