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