Organic Gardening – An Introduction to Water Gardening
Water gardens are a great way to add a relaxing environment to your yard. Most of us find comfort in the sight and the sounds that are associated with water, whether it be from a natural source like the sea, a river or stream and even a pond. There is a lot of history that involves water gardens, whether it be for there elaborate fountains or the simplest fish pond. Water gardening is an activity that has been around for centuries.
Water gardening is creative method of gardening and there is a lot of technology that can be incorporated in it, from prefabricated ponds, fountains, waterfalls, lighting and pump systems or they can be simply constructed as a container garden. Whether your water garden is for just plants or a combination of plants and fish, the ideas are endless in what can be created.
To create a water garden, a natural water source is not required. It can consist of any type of container that hold water, like a plastic tub, water tight plant containers or a half barrel. As long as it holds water it can be used. Many local garden supply centers have complete kits that can include anything from the basic pond setup to the sophisticated water gardens that include waterfalls, fountains,pools, pumps and lighting.
Your budget is the first thing to consider when creating a water garden, it can get expensive and quick if you decide on a large water garden that is full of plants, fish, lights and other accessories. Next you need to determine the amount of space you have available for your water garden. Be reasonable in what you choose when starting your garden and keep in mind the possibility of expanding the size of your water garden in the future. Remember that the size of your garden will also determine the amount of maintenance your garden will require.
If you are planning to include both fish and plants, you will want to pick a location with a sufficient amount of direct sunlight. When a water garden is located in a wooded area, tree leaves and debris can be a lot of maintenance.
When choosing aquatic plants, the plants should cover about half of the water at the most. The plants you choose can be free floating, submerged, or ones that grow near the edge or surface of the water. The types of plants you choose are personal preference. Some of them may be chosen for their scent and some for there beauty. There are also some plants provide more oxygen than others which helps keep a water garden healthy.
Algae is something that can be a major problem in water gardening. Most of the time the problem results from having too many nutrients in the water. This can be from fish food or plant fertilizer. The proper construction along with feeding of both plants and fish will keep algae to a minimum. There are chemicals that can be used to reduce the algae but they can also kill your fish and plants. Algae can be eliminated by reducing the nutrients that cause it to grow, like cutting back on feeding and fertilizing, adding more plants, putting in a filter system, or replacing the existing water with fresh.
Water gardens need to be maintained throughout the year, both small gardens and large. With the proper planning of living and decorative features in your water garden you can keep the maintenance to a minimum.
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