photo credit: dtsomp

Pond lilies are easy to care for and reproduce freely. By dividing the plants you will have a constant supply of new plants that are quick and easy to transplant into new holding pots. And if you have too many it’s the perfect excuse to trade plants with the neighbors.

How to divide water lilies

If you’re not that familiar with water lilies you may not know they are planted in water baskets. Begin by lifting the entire basket of water lilies from your pond in the early spring. You will want to do this before they flower, but after new leaves have developed.

Set the basket on a tarp, plastic or the grass. This can get messy so I prefer a tarp to make cleaning up easier and the lawn or work area clean.

Begin by pulling the plant out of the holding basket by the base of the stalk. You will need to be careful not to damage any young shoots when removing the plant. Provide support to the plant with your free hand.

Next cut through the root ball with a large sharp knife. When you make a cut check first to make sure each section has new growing tips attached. Make as many cuts as necessary to return the lily root ball to the original size.

Each section can now be replanted to create a new lily.

How to plant the new water lily plant

1. Line the new basket or pot with hessian to prevent the soil from being washed away.
2. Fill the pot with aquatic soil mixture and insert the new lily plant.
3. Carefully cover the rootball with soil and fold the hessian over the top of the pot. Make sure you allow the stem and leaves to emerge from the top.
4. Add a layer of gravel on top of the hessian to prevent it from floating. Pack the soil and gravel in place.
5. Submerge the pot or basket in shallow water. The new shoots on the pond lily should rest at the surface of the water.

You will want to move the potted plant to a deeper section of the pond once the leaves and stems have grown long enough to reach the surface.

Your new lily plant should begin blooming in June. To keep you pond healthy and clean check the plant and remove deep leaves to prevent debris in your pond. This step will save you time later on.

Stunning shows of color floating on the water in you pond will add peace and tranquility to your own backyard. And the varieties of lilies available will give you a wide choice of color to add to you lawn and pond garden area.

Note: Do not use regular potting soil in the baskets for aquatic plants. The nutrients in the soil will cause algae to grow in your pond. This will cause you problems later on and also expense of trying to rid the pond of algae.

photo credit: Martin Pettitt

First let’s define what is a wildlife pond. A wildlife pond is a natural environment hosting a self-sustaining ecosystem. A spot in your property backyard where nature has regained full control and you are merely an observer.

What are the steps to create wildlife backyard ponds?

1. Your pond must be located where wildlife has a free and undisturbed access. Best spots are the very edge of your property and close to nature.

2. Follow the building tips described below.

3. Borrow water from an existing wildlife pond, naturally occurring ones are best.

4. Let nature take control.

5. Eventually the environment will take care of the rest.

What can you expect? Well, if you take care of the details, you will have an autonomous ecosystem filled with a variety of living creatures and with little need for maintenance at all.

Building a wildlife pond.

A wild life pond is built using any informal outdoor pond plans, but your equipment list will be smaller as there is no need for filtration or aeration, nature will take care of this tasks. An important point to add is that fish will destroy your insect population, the basic food for other wildlife animals, so this kind of pond won’t host any kind of fish in it.

The best place to locate your wildlife pond is at an edge of your backyard, as close as possible to nature. But avoid problems, far from your house and neighbors property as the pond will attract insects, toads and other animals.

To create natural hiding places for the wildlife you want to attract, keep the vegetation around your pond as high and untidy as possible, but allow human access to enjoy and take care of it.

A secret ingredient that will make the difference. Find a naturally occurring wildlife pond, take some water from it and introduce it into your pond. The organisms you got from the natural pond will populate your newly created wildlife pond.

What kind of animals can you expect? The water borrowed from the natural pond will start an insect population. Your first visitors will probably be pond skaters and eventually dragonflies. With insects in place yo will start attracting their predators, toads and birds. If your site won’t let easy access to animals you can by some toads and introduce them to your backyard. But if your pond start growing mosquitoes or other undesirable insects you can add snails to keep the water clean.

Pond building have a large number of options, and wildlife ponds are not always the most popular, but if well planned and executed it can be a wonderful part of your backyard.

Looking for some ideas and inspiration for your outdoor pond, then visit pond-building-mastery.com to find essential tutorials, know-how and tips about pond building.

photo credit: annrkiszt

Below you will find 7 essential tips to make sure your outdoor pond project is successful.

1. Inspiration from books, magazines and the Internet. You can find inspiring pond photo books in your local library or bookstore; also websites like flickr.com and youtube.com can be researched for images, tutorials and tips.

2. Inspiration is all over the place. Once you start looking you will find ponds and water features everywhere; parks and public buildings just to name a few. Take pictures of things you like and dislike, so later on, when designing, you can easily refer to.

3. Choose your pond location. Remember that a pond is not a mobile feature in your garden. Think of how close you want it to your house or neighbors property. Keep it away from sources of debris like a tree that looses many leaves. Place it in a spot where you can enjoy it from a window or at a relaxing corner of your garden.

4. Choose your outdoor pond style. If you would like to match the architecture of your house then a formal pond is probably your choice. Formal pond examples can be found in palaces and monuments both old and new. If you are looking for something more natural that will blend with the environment and your garden, then informal ponds are your choice. Informal ponds will imitate nature’s rivers and lakes with sand shores and lots of vegetation. The most important issue here is to keep your pond in harmony with your backyard design.

5. Additional design tips. Waterfalls and other features can be added to your pond but take its style into consideration. What kind of fish will you introduce and what are their needs? Does your ground allow easy digging for a below the ground pond or maybe you need to build it above the ground with a nice brick or stone wall?

6. Keep a close eye on your budget. Make sure you have the skills and resources to complete you pond building project. Sum up the materials, construction and maintenance expenses, including professional help if needed. If you need to cut building costs or reduce your efforts take a look at pre-made pond kits in the web or local stores.

7. Keep your pond Safe. Safety is your number one priority when it comes to children and pets playing around your garden. Also keep the stable surfaces around the pond and your electric installations water proof. A good quality liner is a must to avoid holes in your ponds due to rocks and ground movement. Clean and uncontaminated ponds are not only a maintenance issue but a safety one, both for your family and your fish.

Pond building is a complex hobby that can become very enjoyable if you take your time to plan and maintain it. Get your family involved in it from the very beginning making it a project enjoyed by everyone in your household.

Want to find out more about Pond Building, then visit Michael W.’s site on how to build the best outdoor pond for your needs and dreams.

The backyard koi pond offers relaxation and enjoyment to the backyard oasis.  But your Koi fish may occasionally have a medical issue or it may be that the pond will need major repair or moved and you may have to transport your fish. Moving your koi is easier on you and the Koi if you bag them when moving them.
photo credit: Naomi Ibuki

First, it is always a good idea to have all the equipment needed to transport your Koi on hand. You never know when it may be necessary to move you fish so be prepared. The equipment needed to bag and transport Koi is small, and will store easily when not in use.

If you kept the bags you brought your Koi home in originally, use those. If not you will have to make a trip to your local pet store to get proper bags for Koi transportation. Make sure to get the right size bags to hold your Koi. Note: Garbage bags do not work and may hurt your fish.

You will need quite a few good quality rubber bands for each bag you buy. There will be pressure on the rubber bands from the water so make sure you have high quality rubber bands and use several on the bag.

A paint bucket works well for catching your Koi.  Nets can hurt Koi where buckets will not. Just make sure that your bucket is large enough to hold your Koi. Nets work better for smaller Koi but they still may cause damage to the fish and they definitely cause the fish stress. If using a net lead and direct them into the place you want them to go.

Bagging your Koi for Transportation

First check the equipment to make sure its in good shape. Fill the bags with water to see if they are watertight and check the rubber bands to make sure they are strong. Have the net and bucket nearly. Tip: If you pond is large, you may want the help of your friends when bagging your Koi.

Use the net to guide the Koi into the bucket. Make sure that you checked the bags for leaks. Once you are sure that the bags will hold water, place the bag over the Koi from head to tail. Make sure there is enough water in the bag to completely cover the gills. Leave air room in the bag, this makes the bag lighter and easier to carry. Slip the rubber bands around the end of the bag and continue to double it until the bag is secure. Add one or two more rubber bands to ensure that the bag is securely sealed.
photo credit: OMFGmatt

Next place the bags horizontally in your transport container. Handle the bag carefully and make sure that you do not bend the fish when lifting it. Secure the bag in the transport container so that it will not move with bumps and turns. Also place a cover the fish so that as little heat and sun light can enter the bag as possible.

Treat the transport bag with care at all times. And when its time to return the fish to their pond, place the bag in the water and carefully undo the rubber bands. Let the top open slowly and the fish will wander back out into the pond.

Koi fish have been known to live for up to 30 years so take good care of them and they will be a part of your backyard oasis for years.

photo credit: Mr.Thomas

This stage is easy to miss when the rest of the backyard is also waking and crying out for attention. But spring maintenance is very important in the Koi pond. Just remember when the temperatures are around 50 degrees its time to clean the pond and set it up for another year.

Since the Koi have been in hibernation, this is a time when they will be more susceptible to attacks from organisms such as bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. By cleaning the pool and adding treatment solutions you will be able greatly reduce the amount of disease. You will want to add another treatment once the temperature warms up to ensure that your Koi will be well protected while they gain energy and redevelop their immune systems.

Once the weather has warmed up the Koi should be ready for another healthy season in the pond.

The Koi pond is at its peak in the summer when the temperatures are beautiful and inviting. You are able to enjoy your pond more then during the cold winter months. Watching their antics and hand feeding them will offer much enjoyment to the backyard oasis. But remember, there is still maintenance that needs to be done to the pool to ensure the Koi stays healthy and the pond thrives and is beautiful.
photo credit: HousemanStan

The oxygen level in your pond decreases in the summer months so precautions should be taken. This is particularly important if you live in an area where temperatures stay high for the majority of the year. One sure sign of a problem is if you notice your Koi hanging out at the top of the water, and they seem to be gasping for air. This may be an indication that your pond does not have a high enough concentration of Oxygen.

Heat also brings on potential parasite and illness, which are not noticeable to the naked eye. You will need to watch your Koi for signs of illness. These signs could be that your fish are rubbing against objects, scratching, shaking, or shivering. Each symptom could indicate a different type of illness, so it is important to watch them closely.

If you notice such changes, contact your local vet, pet store, or Koi dealer as soon as possible. Some parasites will cause little damage, but some Koi illnesses such as KHV or Koi Herpes Virus have a high mortality rate and need treatment as soon as possible.

With proper pond maintenance and healthy plants and your Koi pond will thrive and you fish should stay healthy and entertaining through all the seasons of the year. Koi add much color and enjoyment to the backyard oasis and can live for up to 30 years. So checking on their health and keeping the pond clean is essential.