| To start and maintain a large container | | | | plant. It will also depend on the size |
| water garden follow these tips for a | | | | of your container. |
| successful and pretty project. With a | | | | Consider some fish or snails for your |
| little bit of work and the right | | | | water garden. A small container will |
| techniques your water garden will be | | | | accommodate guppies because they will |
| easy and fun. | | | | tolerate various temperatures. The |
| To start a water garden there are a few | | | | benefit of guppies is that they eat |
| things that are essential. You will | | | | mosquitoes who will be tempted by the |
| need a container that will hold enough | | | | water. If you are using a large |
| water to sustain your plants and maybe | | | | container buy one or two goldfish. Place |
| some fish and at least six hours of sun | | | | some snails in your container garden to |
| each day. | | | | eat the decaying plant matter and fish |
| Not so long ago water gardening was | | | | waste. They are kind of like the vacuum |
| restricted to ponds or large bodies of | | | | cleaner of the water garden. |
| water. Even if you live in an apartment | | | | The snails will not be sufficient to |
| you are able to have and enjoy a water | | | | keep your garden clean and fresh. In |
| garden. Water gardening is different | | | | order to have a successful water garden |
| from your normal gardens. They have | | | | you must have some kind of fresh water |
| different needs but as long as you cater | | | | supply. You must plan on how often and |
| to these needs you will be surprised at | | | | how easily the water garden can be |
| some of the places you can have a water | | | | cleaned and stocked with fresh water. |
| garden. | | | | Buy a small submersible pump to keep the |
| To start a water garden you will need a | | | | water moving and avoid stagnation. |
| large container that will hold 15 to 20 | | | | Place the pump in a nylon stocking |
| gallons of water. You must also know | | | | before putting it in the water garden. |
| how deep each plant needs to sit in the | | | | The nylon will keep small particles from |
| water. Find out from your local nursery | | | | entering the pump and befouling it. |
| center how deep each plant needs to be | | | | This is a crucial step. If you have to |
| placed in your container. You can also | | | | fish out the pump to clean it out, it |
| find this information online. | | | | will foul the water. You may want to |
| Be very careful of filling your | | | | buy a sprouting ornament and place it on |
| container with tap water. Many | | | | the rime of the container. Attach it to |
| communities use chemicals in the water | | | | the pump with rubber tubing. This will |
| system to make it potable. If there is | | | | add depth and texture to your water |
| high chlorine count in the water you | | | | garden. |
| use, it will probably kill your plants. | | | | If you follow these tips for your water |
| If you are going to use tap water, fill | | | | garden you will have a successful and |
| the container two days before you place | | | | pretty project. For tips and techniques |
| any plants in it so that the chlorine | | | | for small container water gardening see |
| can burn off. | | | | my article with that name. |
| There are three basic kinds of plants | | | | Happy Gardening! |
| for water gardening. There are plants | | | | Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights |
| that only grow above the water line | | | | Reserved. |
| while others grow beneath the surface of | | | | This article may be distributed freely |
| the water. And then there plants that | | | | on your website and in your ezines, as |
| are called "floaters" because they seem | | | | long as this entire article, copyright |
| to float on the surface. You will need | | | | notice, links and the resource box are |
| to know the care and needs of the plants | | | | unchanged. |
| before you will know which varieties to | | | | |