Tuesday, March 25, 2014

In our last segment, we dove into the subject of water gardening and tapped the expertise of the University of Illinois Extension (http://urbanext.illinois.edu/watergarden) - one of the most robust resources available on the basics of constructing, stocking and maintaining water gardens.

We already talked about materials, location and equalizing the ph of your water garden to ensure any plants or fish thrive. Now we'll decide what to 'plant' in your new aquatic wonderland.

According to the UI Extension, aquatic gardens plants are grown in separate pots and then placed into the water-filled container. Heavy, clay garden soil is used as a potting media.

After the plant is potted, top the soil with a 1/2 to 3/4 inch layer of pea gravel to help keep the soil in place. Don't use a commercial potting soil mix or any type of soil mix containing fertilizer.

Fill the tub with water, set your plants in place, and adjust the depth of your plants by placing bricks under the pot so the crown of the plant is at the preferred depth. About 50 - 60% of the water surface should be covered with plant material.

Take note: city water supplies are commonly treated with chlorine, so let the tub sit for 24-48 hours before adding plants to allow chlorine to evaporate. And don't use water from a water softener or don't add chemicals to the water.

Plants for aquatic gardens can be a combination of emergent, submerged and floaters. Submerged plants or oxygenators and help clean the water and supply oxygen.

Emergent plants are potted and placed from 3 – 6 inches below the surface of the water.

Some to consider are: Arrowheads, Blue Flag, Iris, Dwarf Papyrus, Water Blue Bells, Cork Screw Rush, Lotus and Water Lilies.

Floaters add a finishing touch to the water surface. Some to consider are:

Giant Velvet Leaf, Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce according to the extension

Finally, pond creatures can be added to your water container to help in maintaining the ecosystem balance. Several small snails, fish such as mollies, guppies, platys or gambezi also do well in the variable water temperatures of a small patio pond - plus they eat mosquitoes.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com